Rain erosion

Those footpaths in Sable Wood that are on a significant slope suffer readily from rain erosion, a problem exacerbated by the sandy soil, large footfall, and increased intensity of rainfall under a warming climate. The impact of erosion is to make the footpath more difficult to use; walkers then divert into the wood, increasing the area subject to erosion and reducing the undisturbed area available to wildlife.

Surrey County Council (SCC) has formal responsibility for maintenance of the surface of footpaths. SCC officers have twice visited Sable Wood, in 2014 and 2017, but they  gave no assurance that Sable Wood footpaths were a priority for repair beyond replacement of rotten signposts and, on one occasion, providing infill material. It has fallen to the owner, sympathetic friends and the Bourne Conservation Group to provide the labour and in most cases the costs of repairs to footpaths.

For more detail on work carried out, click the relevant link

• Footpath FP218 (southwestern boundary of Sable Wood)
• Footpath FP241 (central footpath) including it’s top junction with FP237
• Footpath FP218B (Marjorie’s Path)