Footpath FP218 (southwestern boundary of Sable Wood)

On purchase of the wood in late 2011 there was severe erosion of FP218, which forms the SW boundary of the wood.  In parts it had become a ditch rather than a path and walkers had  opened up alternative routes through the wood to bypass the damaged area.

 

Over the 2013, 2014 and 2015 summers, repairs were  made with assistance from the Bourne Conservation group, starting at the bottom of the path where the gradient was least. All the material for the repairs was sourced from within the wood.

The depth of erosion higher up the path led to the use of a bridging technique to restore a walkable surface without requiring very large amounts of infill material. The footpath is  not a bridleway but horse riders were known to use this route so, because the restored surface would not support the weight of  a horse, warning signs for riders were placed at top and bottom.

Over the years since, debris carried by rainwater has filled the void.