2021 - News & Pictures
from Phil Woolcock
Storm Arwen has caused damage to our woodlands, with two large trees being blown down and branches down. The branches are now in the wood pile and the fallen trees are safe in their current position. Recent tree inspection was undertaken and our professional adviser has been consulted about the latest trees coming down. This was an incident due to Storm Arwen and our windy weather policy >>>> covers such events and the evacuation of the site.
Fencing - The Glenny Team, along with our friends from Lloyds Bank, on one of their Volunteering days, have made further improvements to the site. The front area above the track and Pheasants Mead and up the bridleway has been refenced. The old fence and barbed wire removed and a much smarter and safer replacement installed.
Wood store - The log store has been replenished as well, with loads of hard work by those splitting the logs.... Mega thanks to the Lloyds Bank team
New Path - We have started installing a new path infront to the lodge / veranda to make it easier and safer to get around...
Electrics - Lights from the Car Park to Lodge and Lodge to Loos are now back working...
Washing - We have washed the outside walls of the Lodge and Garage... Its looking so white, sunglasses may be required!!!
Grass Cutting - A further cut around the site undertaken...last of the year????
Site Bookings - this month we have introduced our new booking system using Online Scout Manager - OSM. The system is straight forward to use although first please read our guidelines on the Booking page >>>>. Please remember to follow the key steps when booking to visit or camp or use the lodge - 1 - book a Plateau, then 2 - book a LOO room and then 3 - book your activities. After this you can book the lodge / Showers etc...
Planning - All planning issues now resolved - great news - the Certificate of Lawfulness for confirmation that the existing tented camping use for a recreational organisation is permitted development under Part 5, Class C of schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) and that the buildings including lodge and stores have been on site for more than 4 years and are ancillary to the camping use.
Many, many thanks to Peter Bath MD of Project Design and Construction Management Ltd for resolving this for us
Camp Fires renamed - Main Campfire will now be known as HOLLY campfire AND Willow Campfire will now be know as ROWAN campfire
Plateau changes
Stepped plateaus will now be the collective name for the following plateaus - Ash - Cherry - Birch - Spruce and Oak
Willow becomes its own Camping and visiting plateau - see new map
Hazel plateau now split into two plateaus - Hazel and Hawthorne - see new Map
Sycamore plateau is now the name for the plateau just inside the inner gate
Gordano Activities Plateau - is the new name for the plateau formally called sycamore
Glenny Adventure Zone - is the collective area that covers the Confidence Course and Wetlands
Showers colour identifies, for booking - Orange, Pink, White and Yellow
Scouts and Cubs back camping on site after a 20 month gap....Fantastic to see this again.
Grass Cutting / strimming - as also lots done especially with the warm and wet weather we have had
Inner Gate replaced and path extended
Rubber clippings laid in Confidence Course under twisting log
Path into Hazel has new decking boards on it
Shed roofs refelted
New booking system developing using OSM
Grass & Trees - June started the same way as May with loads of cutting with the tractor mower and strimmer plus weeding and pruning the bushes around the gas tank area, along with, picking up branches and logs from the trees we have had cut down
Bookings - the site for June and July is virtually full and very few evening slots are left....A very busy summer at Glenny.
September on bookings OPEN and filling up!
Site Activities - On Wednesday evening 5th May we opened up all the site activities available for 2021. See our activities page to book your activities whilst on site.
Water Test - Safety checks process completed and water has passed both the Legionella and Bacterial test details at >>>>
Tree Works - The necessary work to remove the Ash trees as identified in our last survey for for which we obtained planning permission for has been undertaken. Now its the clear up and storage of the wood.
Lloyds Bank Volunteers - a group of keen volunteers lead by Caroline (also GSL 2nd Portishead) spent the day at Glenny with the team starting the process of clearing up the wood, branches / Logs following the felling works. Clear up continues
Bluebells this year crop is fabulous, with the banks and site areas turning a bright blue. The wild garlic with its white flowers is also making a beautiful showing.
May ended with a major attack on the grass now the Bluebells had died down, loads of cutting with the tractor mower and strimmer!
Grass - First grass cut completed on site and we continue with this until October!
Water - in Loos and Lodged flushed through ready for testing
Water Test - Safety checks undertaken
Tunnels - Repairs to boxes completed
Bouldering Wall - Build continues
Bookings - Lots of interest in booking Glenny. Site availability checker added to bookings page on this website
Bluebells - the woodland slopes are now showing that lovely blue colour from the Bluebells. Remember these are slippery and please try to avoid walking on them.
Signage - Our new signs have been delivered and these have been put up and are looking good. A few examples below
Front entrance area - this has been tidied up, with the "gatepost makeover" and signs.
Planning - Over the past few months I have been working with Peter Bath - Project Design and Construction Management Ltd in an exercise to tidy up our site planning situation. Peter is a former Scouts and has kindly been volunteering with me on this project.
We have now submitted to the North Somerset Planning department - Lawful development: Existing use - Use of land and buildings as Scout camp at Glenny Wood Camp Site, Wood Lane, Clapton‐in‐Gordano, BS20 7RQ
A notice of this has been place on the site gate post, as per picture. Updates will be posted in the news section.
Bouldering Wall - this project continues at a pace with the framework going up onto the container and now around the tree. It's all very sturdy, as it needs to be, with a predominate of 100mm x 100mm size timber. Nothing subttle!More pictures below
Tree Review - Phil and Kath completed the monthly Tree review on the 29th. The checks showed no new changes, which is good news.
Flowers - lots of Daffodils and Primroses out on site. Today (29th) spotted our first Bluebell flower of the season
Activities - work has commenced in checking, repairing / updating the activities areas, so we can reopen these which we are currently planning for in line with the mid to late May
Congratulations - A very special congrats and well done to Angus Wardle,as he has been awarded the Award for Merit for services to Scouting as a Cub Leader - Portishead,
Volunteer - Glenny Wood and Trainer - Gordano District
Double click on the pictures for a slide show.....
Double click on the pictures for a slide show.....
What’s been happening at Glenny Wood in February 21???
Well we, Angus, Tony & Phil have planted a further 15 mature trees and have put protection around them. This more than replaces the trees we have had cut down for safety reasons.
Phil and Angus continue to check the trees on a monthly basis and yesterday’s check showed no new changes, which is good news.
We have also started building the bouldering wall, with the base in and wood starting to be put up to fix the wall on.... good progress
It’s not sexy but essential!!
Yes folks - Our new waste management system - BioFicient sewage system, has been installed in November by Anderson’s. The tank and all the rest of the equipment went in well, after a large hole was dug first. Once the installation was completed the Anderson’s team, cleared everything away, seeded for grass around it and left the area extremely tidy. An excellent job and many thanks to our Site Manager Angus for overseeing the works on behalf of Glenny Wood.
The funding for this project was equally shared between Avon Scouts, Gordano Scouts and Glenny Wood. Many thanks to both Avon Scouts and Gordano Scouts for their continued support.
And when your with us please follow our Glenny Wood Site Motto
"take nothing but photographs and memories, leave nothing but footprints"
Glenny Wood is the Campsite of Gordano District - Charity Commission registered number 289643