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Barcombe Mills - Update

On 4 Aug 2010 at 8:07pm DrTrickCyclist wrote:

In case people are not aware the fence in the field by the Ouse at Barcombe Mills has now been removed. I was down there tonight and there was almost no sign that the fencing had ever been there.
Many, many thanks to the owners of the field for reconsidering. The County and Parish Councillors for respond to peoples' concerns really well to and appear to have made a very good case to the landowners. I think thanks to many users of this Forum are also in order. The information exchanged here and the discussion people had really helped get things moving.
One possibility now is that local people who care about access to the river at that spot may be able to offer some assistance to the landowners. As many people pointed out here they must get incredibly hacked off by the behaviour of some users of the field and associated problems with litter etc. All suggestions in this regard are welcome.

On 4 Aug 2010 at 10:24pm MC wrote:

Ha, I was down there early this evening too (till about 7.00pm).... with fishing rod and friend. Didn't see you. Did notice some good sized fish taking flies on the big bend and that the ugly fence had been removed.

I've already suggested the addition of two signs, one requesting that people be quiet and reminding them that the land is private (and sensitive) and the other warning of the danger to health from swimming in the river. However it has now struck me that the best thing to do might be to let the place grow a bit wild, and turn it into some sort of conservation area or beautiful wetland meadow. Long grass, plants, thistles and bushes would not be so conducive to camping and loud groups of river users. The field could easily be turned into some reasonable quality wetland which would then foster all types of wildlife. There are numerous examples up the Ouse where this has already been done and the habitat formed is purely gorgeous, facilitating the return of wild flowers, insects and plants not seen since the advent of intensive agriculture destroyed most of the natural land hereabouts in the 50s and 60s.
This should easily bias usage back to quieter nature loving types and away from loud pissed-up groups of insensitives.

It would also have the benefit of not requiring the cows that are currently making a very good job of decimating the vegetation right to the river bank.

I believe there are even grants currently available for tree planting on floodplains.

Maybe the land owner could talk to the Sussex Wildlife Trust or the Sussex Ouse Conservation Society for guidance, both of whom would probably be willing to help improve the land for nature conservation. Otherwise there is a group working on the southern most land owned by Sheffield Park along the Ouse returning it to it's natural meadow state and at least two other land owners who have done the same thing who I'm sure would offer advice.

Sorry to ramble so.

On 5 Aug 2010 at 10:41am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:

That really is excellent news and thanks to the owner for taking notice of how people felt about this.
Let's hope that people now enjoy this lovely peaceful spot without spoiling it, or creating a nuisance.