Horton clockwise

Back on the road this morning. Light drizzle and threatening worse, so fully togged up in my stockman's coat and I carried an umbrella for good measure. Few people about, but plenty of autumn colour along Horton Lane, somewhat marred by the recent flailing of the south west section of the bordering hedgerow.

Since the council only seem to be able to afford this rather crude treatment,  perhaps they should be encouraged to do a deal whereby the Chainsaw Volunteers hang up their chain saws for the winter while they do hedging & ditching duties around the borough. On the understanding that they use no power tools, and certainly no tractor mounted implements. They might, on the way, learn something about what it used to be like to be a countryman in the winter, rather than a bourgeois in the summer. That is to say, not so much fun at all, especially when it is cold & wet.

I did pass one of the Volunteers' support vehicles, parked up while the driver grabbed a quick breakfast in West Ewell and dressed up in Lower Mole colours, but I forebore haranging the driver. Probably a simple employee and not responsible for either the flails or the chain saws.

Reference 1: http://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/EEBC/Leisure+and+Culture/Leisure+Listings/ConservationItems/Lower+Mole+Countryside+Management+Project.htm.

Reference 2: http://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Volunteers.

Reference 3: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Volunteers.