Making woodland paths

[Countryboy]

Another way is to hire a flail mower to clear the scrub and then keep it down with a ride on. I have been using the Dr to keep the tracks clear but am now looking at the ride on option. Just to save the legs.

[codlasher]

I can remember the monoculture beech woodlands before the 1987 gales. Nothing grew under the canopy. The gales came and destroyed this.

We cleared the timber and left the stumps in 1988. In the winter of 1988/1989 the 60 acre area was replanted.

The following year I was asked to cut rides, for the shoots beaters, in the dense brambles & willowherb, with our Ferrari vinyard tractor, and cut down Wolseley swipe. My colleague & I took it in turns walking ahead of the machine to make sure it didn't fall in the very deep holes the fallen trees had left. We only fell in one over that week......

The following year the job was so much easier as Yorkshire fog grass had replaced the heavy undergrowth, making the job easy, and we continued to follow the same paths for the next five years.

As the young trees grew up, forced by the alder nurse, the paths became a pleasant way through the new young plantation. By year ten all that remained of the devastation was the mounds of earth formed by the heave of the beech tree roots as the timber itself had rotted away. The holes had also disappeared.

 

You will have some interesting species change if you cut your paths over the next few years. The final result will be mostly grass but you could introduce some primroses or other native species to make the routes interesting....

codlasher

[Two Acres]

I can remember the monoculture beech woodlands before the 1987 gales. Nothing grew under the canopy. The gales came and destroyed this.

We cleared the timber and left the stumps in 1988. In the winter of 1988/1989 the 60 acre area was replanted.

The following year I was asked to cut rides, for the shoots beaters, in the dense brambles & willowherb, with our Ferrari vinyard tractor, and cut down Wolseley swipe. My colleague & I took it in turns walking ahead of the machine to make sure it didn't fall in the very deep holes the fallen trees had left. We only fell in one over that week......

The following year the job was so much easier as Yorkshire fog grass had replaced the heavy undergrowth, making the job easy, and we continued to follow the same paths for the next five years.

As the young trees grew up, forced by the alder nurse, the paths became a pleasant way through the new young plantation. By year ten all that remained of the devastation was the mounds of earth formed by the heave of the beech tree roots as the timber itself had rotted away. The holes had also disappeared.

 

You will have some interesting species change if you cut your paths over the next few years. The final result will be mostly grass but you could introduce some primroses or other native species to make the routes interesting....

codlasher

 

Great story Codlasher, thanks for that, inspirational. A mate and I have been logging up a fallen poplar in our spare time the last couple of weeks. I went into the wood yesterday, took my father-in-law for a look round. Had to beat my way in and the little pile of logs in the five acres made me feel like gnat on a cows backside. It would be great to get some paths and start to make a real difference...

[David Cropper]

I use a DR Brushcutter and agree about saving the legs. I am picking mine up tomorrow after an engineer friend of mine has fitted a footplate to stand on, it will have two wheels and be flexible to adjust to the terrain. I tried to get a sulky from Ebay to fit but all the other major brands are suitable for fitting, apparently not DR. I have cut a hectare of waist high rough grass in a day with it but your legs don't half feel it when you've finished, especially in temperatures in the high 30's! I also have bought the finishing mower attachment which gives a 42inch cut leaving a good finish. I intend using the brushcutter with footplate this week on a small paddock, first cut of the year. I also use for brambles an old Turner pedestrian flail mower which knocks them down and shreds them to almost nothing.

[CHC]

Small tractor and flail. Done this for a local shoot after the beaters where complaining about having to walk though them.

[felixthelogchopper]

Thats what I thought Spandit - frustratingly my Dad said a friend of his wanted to take a walking party (30 folks) into the wood yesterday but they couldn't get in. I'm thinking if I could get some paths established then invite some walkers in that would really help.

 

Sorry to be boring but make sure you have Public Liability insurance in place if you are inviting the public to access the woods. Don't forget you also have a higher duty of care to invited visitors than you would do to trespassers.

[Sussex Groundie]

All the methods quoted are good, flail, ride on depending on whats to be cut dowm, quad bike to keep it down. I have just "refreshed" the paths here with a mini digger, they were first made a couple of yrs ago.

 

First pic is 2012, last one 2015

[Rushes]

If you want the undergrowth cleared pigs will do it for you - they will grub up everything but if it is all brambles then you aren't losing much - and they make good eating.

Needs good fencing or electric.

If you don't want the hassle of movement orders then ask someone with pigs to do it for you.

[Countryboy]

Hi I am very interested in the footplate for the DR, sounds a really good idea. Photos would be good

[David Cropper]

Hi Laurie. I have sent you a private message.