May 2026

Some of our recent working parties have been blessed with glorious Spring sunshine. It has certainly brought out the woodland flowers in the Long Break section of the Oakley to Kempshott Multi-user path.

The snowdrops and wild daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) may have flowered and faded but the white wood anemones and yellow primroses are still putting on a lovely display and bluebells are making their appearance from early April.

We encourage our native wild flowers, but sometimes it is important to remove or control those plants that do not belong and those that take over large areas if left to their own devices.

Now that flowers are opening, it is much easier to identify those that have no business growing along the path.

Although they are pretty, garden daffodils are not appropriate for our native woodlands and clumps have been dug up to stop them spreading. Likewise, the large Spanish bluebells near the St John’s Road entrance. These non-native bluebells are common in many Oakley gardens but they are a threat to our native bluebell woods as they readily hybridise and out compete ‘the locals’.

Some patches of sprawling bramble have also been cut back along the path edges to give the native flowers a little more room.

Two of our regular volunteers have also been working on the right at the Oakley end of Long Break. They are bending over the growing whips to start a ‘layered hedge”.

Our bird boxes are attracting the attention of blue tits and nut hatches. The return of bird song in the warmer Spring weather is so welcome after a long, dark winter.

April 2026

A profusion of snowdrops and bluebells brighten Long Break and Wells Copse - now is the time for a bluebell walk!

Work parties have been busy extending and improving the dead hedges through Long Break with a few large tree whips planted by the main path ie away from the railway fence.

Volunteers have also cleared more of the broken spirals at Battledown and pruned back brambles.  We have also added more tree whips to the Peter Houseman hedge facing the new housing estate.

Currently we have 10 regular volunteers - do talk to us when you walk along the path.  Some volunteers work just one of the work parties a month - full list on our website.

See photo gallery for Julie's lovely photo of a rainbow at Parlour Gates.