This picture shows the scale of the North embankment. Historic records confirm that the original Barnett’s brickworks pit was “100 yards deep”. This is when it flooded in 1899 following the burst of the Birmingham Canal.
In Barnett’s day there would not have been the amount of fuss concerning Health and Safety, but this is only a fairly recent concept with this site in any case. There are now such a plethora that they outnumber the few birds that appear to want to cling on to what is left of the “natural” flora on the site.
No shee
On the banks itself, there is alleged to be a badger sett that is going to “be protected throughout the duration of the works.” I would really like to see how.
A visitor spotted today was this squirrel on the battered North embankment. In amongst the bricks, soil and old broken crockery and bottles it bounded about sniffing the air and looking for cover.
It’s just a shame the wildlife have to adapt to these chemical industry PR stunts. They didn’t create the mess, they just ended up in it
“Where’s me nuts gone?”
Today a cappuccino like covering continues to sweep across the pool. A dirty frothy mixture of soil being spread across the East side embankment and debris from the North embankment. Not the type of beverage that one would like to offer guests given the nature of the waste contained within.
Today also, there appeared to be several more human visitors on site than usual. They do love their boat trips across the mere- though it looked from the crispness of the high-vis vests that they were not there to do any physical endeavour.
And highlight of the week so far, a flypast yesterday from a Boeing chinook helicopter. If you’re looing for WMD guys -they’re down below you.
May its passengers have had a safe landing and look forward to better climbs….