Drains and More Steps 

The drainage system on Crescent Wood Road has been causing big problems for the Wood. When there is heavy rain and especially during a thunder storm, polluted water overflows from the drain covers in the road and cascades into the Wood. This has caused damage to the newly improved section of path and steps near the tunnel mouth. It seems Thames Water thinks it has done everything it needs to do, however, the problem remains. Consequently, the Wood's volunteers have started to put in place mitigation to help tackle this. 

Slowly but surely, new steps are being added to the main path down from the Crescent Wood Road entrance. These should help where heavy footfall and water damage have eroded the path to make it uneven. The new steps use materials from the Wood such as branches as well as recycled material such as scaffolding and decking boards. The steps are backfilled with crushed concrete and then topped with limestone to make a firm but permeable surface.

A trio of new steps near the top of the path.

The process is a long and difficult one as heavy materials have to be brought up from Peckarman's Wood entrance in wheel-barrows. This means loads have to be kept manageable by keeping them small and frequent. 

The problems of overflowing drain water from outside the Wood remains and will do so until it is dealt with effectively. In the meantime, at the top of the path, a French drain has been made and installed by volunteers in the hope that this will help divert water away from the path and so minimise damage. A French drain is a trough, made of wood or concrete , which is set into the surface at a downward diagonal angle so water is intercepted and diverted away from the path.  

The new French drain installed.

The process of improving the path has only just started and will take weeks of hard work to complete.