The Parish Council would like to inform our residents that Smiths, the company who owns fields north of the Wharf Stream, is now replacing the old fence. Local walkers may see some activity in the field and a change in the footpath route.
This work has commenced and will involve new gates being erected, shifting the footpath back to its original route along the west side of the fence. There will be clear signs to ensure walkers can find the ‘new’ route once the work is complete and the footpath remains available, with longer term plans to improve its accessibility.
The change is happening because the use of the land is transforming. Smiths has granted a lease to the Long Mead Foundation which will, with Eynsham’s Nature Recovery Network, re-create a floodplain wildflower hay meadow in the field. This will form part of the Thames Valley Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project – read more about this exciting project on the Nature Recovery Network website.
Part of the traditional management of these wildflower hay meadows is to use cattle or sheep to graze after the hay has been taken. Shifting the permissive path to its original route on the western side of the fence will assist in maintaining the safety of livestock within the field.
Please download the image below to see the revised path, as marked in red, on an aerial map. This revised permissible footpath will join the existing one just before it reaches the Thames.