Page 9 - Oundle Life October 2023

PARK
LIFE
Fall into Barnwell
Well, what a contrast in
summer between 2022 and
2023! With wetter and milder
temperatures Barnwell has
continued to explode with
growth; whether it’s the
rising grass or overhanging
vegetation it has seemed at times to be a never ending battle to keep the trails clear for all visitors to use and enjoy.
The school holidays saw Oundle Library’s Summer Reading Challenge as well as Barnwell’s own Darius the Dragonfly trail take centre stage for things to do here at Barnwell. We hope our young visitors and adults alike had fun and discovered new things whilst completing these trails. On top of the trails the play area has been as popular as ever. Thank you to all visitors who took the time to vote on which of the new play areas you would like to see in the future! Look out for news of the development.
Summer jobs involved the sanding and varnishing of the memorial benches and
pulling the invasive Himalayan Balsam, Impatiens glandulifera, out so that native
plant species can thrive at Barnwell. This is an ever-constant battle for the country park as
the plant spreads underground and anywhere near water. Our volunteers are great. They turn up every Wednesday and just get on with the task in hand. These jobs, undertaken within
the summer months, would not have been completed without our regular volunteers, two fantastic work experience students, as well as Duke of Edinburgh volunteers too so thank you.
9