Two Acres

You're right, there may well be a good reason, as you say. We just need the parish council to find out if thats the case.

One of my neighbours had a go at a tree on his boudary with a chainsaw and brought down a powerline. We had the cable whipping around on the road and it was making a noise like thunder. Had the police, power company people, road cordoned off, the whole works.

In Norfolk I can think of The Walnut Tree Shades in Norwich, The Royal Oak in Bintree, The Cherry Tree in Dereham and The Mulberry Tree in Attleborough (the last one is a restaurant and hotel rather than a pub though)

Scared of slights?

I agree with your point about respect Sleeches. I think that if people abuse access to woodland then that encourages owners to want to fence them and exclude the public. Thats a shame I feel. One of the things that I like to do is take a walk in family my wood and see who else is around. As far as the public are concerned I'm just another walker so I can have an anonymous look, and sometimes chat, interesting experience. Most people take a walk and leave no trace, but there is always the worry about the one percent that don't care. A small minority will abuse open access and potential spoil things for the majority. In terms of keeping to paths the problem, in my view, is probably that human nature is to explore. People want to discover new things and go 'off the beaten track'. Thats just natural, especially for children, but also a difficulty.

We find it really hard Ian. I have a seven year old daughter and twins aged five. My parents help out, my wife only works two days a week and we have a childminder who has the kids on those two days. Personally I find it very hard to look after the kids before I go to work, I can't concentrate on two things at once. When the twins were babies I had a couple of years when I didn't earn anything much, just enough to make ends meet. I was helping out at home all the time. I think everyones the same - struggling to balance it all

Very neat stacking Woodworks, thats like my log sheds

Thanks Kevin Its a good hypothetical situation IMO, makes you think. I agree that the less 'fences' between people the better but it does require everyone to act with respect for each other, as you say. Sadly thats not always the case and at times like those, when you get on the wrong end of soem crap, the 'pull up the drawbridge' mentality does kick-in. Personally if I can't access the fenced off woodland then it won't affect me much (I can go play in my own wood) but I would find it sad that my kids wouldn't be able to roam where I was able to as a youngster.

It is a tricky one Kevin and your analogy is interesting. To my mind there is a line somewhere between each individual being able to claim a piece of land to call his own (and build a home on) and the enclosure of vast swathes of countryside. I think its important to allow public access to the countryside wherever possible (a right to roam) and I think its important not to erect fences whenever possible. I also think that its essential that the general public acts responsibly (no rubbish, dog mess, trampled crops etc.) It needs to be a two way street. I have to admit that at times my patience has been stretched very thin and the desire to fence off my family land and tell members of the public to 'bugger off' has been strong and very difficult to resist (especially when I found a little cannabis plantation, cheeky gits). For me personally, overall, the desire to allow general access to as many local people as are interested has won out.

Its an interesting one. Theres a small 'car park' area thats been used to park for as long as I can remember. To my knowledge theres never been any problem with rubbish or dogs mess (although I personally hate iresponsible dog owners that don't clear up behind their animals, thers always one). I'd always thought that it was a community woodland rather than a private one, its always been treated as such. I guess it was just previously owner by a permissive landowner. I emailed the parish council yesterday and have heard back today. They are aware of the situation and acknowledge that the new owner has a right to fence the land. They tell me that they are working on finding a way to reinstate the general acess that previously existed - we will see what transpires.

I've just been looking at OSS, never heard of them before today. Think I'll join. Of course its perfectly reasonable to fence land, however doing so in such a way that you deliberately destroy the enjoyment of others is selfish and self-centred. Neither my family or any of the landowners that I'm friendly with would ever even consider such a thing - we're all far more community minded here.

Thats an absolute disgrace and it shouldn't be allowed, surely its not legal? Who is resisting this process?

Thanks for that Openspaceman, very, very interesting. There may well be good reasons for the landowner fencing this wood, however there may not. I had no idea about what you say is going on in Surrey, it sounds appalling. Am I right to think that some landowners have fenced either side of a public footpath with fencing panels so that you don't see the view? If so I think thats a disgrace. Norfolk has always been pretty much open countryside, in my experience. Most of the landowners I now are very generous with access to their land, particularly in respect of allowing local people who live in the villages to walk paths and woods freely and for example, allowing the local fisihng club to fish the river for a peppercorn rent. My wife is from the Lake District and as you say thats even more open. Coming from that background its very shocking for me to see this new approach. I hope that its not the tip of an iceberg, but I shall be keeping an eye on it.

Thanks Openspaceman, Where would I be able to find the 'definitive statement'? The paths are very narrow, I would guess 2 metres or less. What used to be an enjoyable walk in open countryside is now like taking a stroll in a prison excersise yard. To my mind its mean-spirited, however I may be wrong - there may be a good reason for it thats not yet apparent.

Yes, people have driven in their cars in the past, then walked pretty much wherever they like in the wood. I don't know the legal situation but I thought that if a permissive path was used for a long period of time then it became a public footpath?

Hi all, I noticed today that some woodland in the next village to mine has been enclosed with wire fences. This woodland has been sold within the last year. There are public footpaths that run through the wood - these are still walkable but now have wite fences on either side to prvent any access to the open woodland. There is a gate at the entrance. In living memory this woodland has always been open. Villagers have driven cars in and walked the wood. I'm wondering if enclosing a previously open access wood in this way is legal? What do you all think? How can I raise an objection?

I will go make some new pictures. Yes, I did the Lantra course. It cost me a couple of hundred, which was fine. After a couple of days I left three others carried on to do CS30/31. Part of me would have liked to have continued but I'm the same as you, I can't see myself ever needing it commercially. I learned a huge amount and really enjoyed myself so well worthwhile Now I need to put it into practice.

Thanks for the nudge Sandspider - I have made progress but its all been preparation and planning to date. About three weeks ago I did a two day chainsaw training course. Now I'm trained and qualified in that department (to a low level at any rate). I didn't want to start using a saw until I had some training. I've also invested in PPE and saw (Husky 135) and some other stuff like a picaroon and log tongs. My next move will be to divide the wood into manageable sections and plan the work. I'm pretty much settled on the idea of felling the Leylandi to clear the old ride. Then I'd like to set about extending the network of paths. Oh, I'm also in the process of logging a fallen poplar and extracting that. At the moment the wood is wild and overgrown with undergrowth so access is tricky. I'll probably start to fell the leylandi in the Autumn. Thats where I'm at

It might be worth a visit to Wex Steve. They have a big showroom in Norwich (I guess you can't be too far away?) This is their website: Wex Photographic - Digital Camera, Digital SLR Cameras, Lens, Canon, Nikon As a photographer I really should now more but as has been said we just tend to but the latest Canon or Nikon and don't get beyond that. Good luck!

Good news Lee From whats been said it seems to me that if you have a tick bite, and then get a rash, its probably best to suggest to the Doc that it could be Lymes. That might be the best way to catch it early.

I think you don't have much of a problem. The woodworm is going to be inside the log for 2 - 5 years, so most likely your firewood will be burnt before they emerge. If they do emerge then the adult beetles arn't going to fly very far. I would expect they'll stay on your woodpile. They'll also only live for a couple of weeks. It could be worthwhile to treat your shed if you haven't already and obviously you don't want to be leaving logs in your house over the summer.

How close is your woodpile to your house and your milled timber?

I'm not sure I follow you mate?

Thanks David, That looks absolutely perfect for me - if you know any similar places in East Anglia please let me know. Thanks again for your help, its much appreciated

Many thanks JLA, I've never seen that before and its very interesting. Very possibly useful on this project too. Cheers