A Better Path

Mount Field East 

Saturday 16 March 2019
You would be hard pressed to get a nicer day in the mountains and even though we were working this did not detract from enjoying the pleasant temperature and sunshine.
A very calm Lake Fenton

Two small sections of track over scree were modified to make it easier for people to use. Some large flat rocks were manoeuvred to provide a flatter surface with steps.
These rocks were previously on an angle and have manoeuvred to make a flat surface and with steps

Others cleared back the overgrowing vegetation over a once very boggy plateau. Back on 2006 we commenced positioning rocks on the extensive muddy sections and at the time there was plenty of clear dirt or herbs at the edges of the rocks. However, over the years the recovery has been so good that vegetation was starting to press over them, but it wasn’t until this was cut back that we realised how far it had grown. In many instances we discovered the rock edge was hidden by 10-15cm of growth at ground level.

See this webpage for a few photos of what the area was once like.

The recording of visitors passing was also examined and indicated that 2351 passes occurred over the previous 12 months, up from 2121 for the previous year. The period when Windy Moor track construction was underway was not included in these figures.  The reading from a track counter above Lake Rayner was 1252, which was for 11 months and a straight line projection suggests a figure more like 1360 for a year. It is hard to know how many people walk the circuit and how many are return walks from each carpark, but we are aware a large number make a return walk.   Under one scenario a total of 2800 people walk the track.

Whilst doing this it was noted that several planks on Windy Moor had warped or needed an additional screw added, so this is a task to be performed in the near future.
Party on working bee


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