Sol joined the Friends of Maidenhead Waterways on the Cookham Moor. The aim was to pull fallen tree branches and debris out of the water stream.

We donned the waders and plit into smaller groups and started the clearing. The work went along well and soon enough it was time for tea and biscuits break.

All in all, it was a great Saturday morning out in nature. Spring is almost here.

On a bright Saturday morning a large Maidenhead waterways party met. After donning waders and picking up tools we trooped off to the task sites. The group was divided into two, you could say we branched out?? My group went to moved a tree that had fallen across the waterway. There was much discussion and head scratching and eventually with the help of chainsaws and winches the tree hit terra firma. A very successful and rewarding morning.

Winter is coming. In the Riverlands a silent enemy is advancing. The brambles creep slowly and menacingly from the banks of York Stream, ready to wrap their thorny stalks around the bodies of unsuspecting canoeists. Fortunately Dominic, Sol and Sheila from House GoodGym were on hand to help. Armed with loppers, secateurs and a hedge trimmer they joined Friends of Maidenhead Waterways volunteers for the Battle of the Brambles. Slashing, cutting and slicing, the heroic warriors advanced, pushing the enemy back. Sheila was in the maintenance boat Yorkie and Sol was on the banks, both fighting with courage, filling a dozen large bags with green waste. When you play the game of thorns, you win or die. House GoodGym prevailed.

Sol joined Ian, Shirley and Andy from the Friends of Maidenhead Waterways to start the new season of clearing weeds in the water canal in the Widbrook Common.

The weather was warm and we enjoyed the favourable water conditions. We chatted with public passing by.

Soon it was midday, and we looked back at good work completed. More weekends to come.

GoodGymmer Tony Ward became Captain Jack Sparrow for the day as he took the helm for boat rides at Friends of Maidenhead Waterways' Fun Day on Saturday. It was all hands on deck as Friends of Maidenhead Waterways volunteers press ganged more than 100 landlubbers into life jackets for boat rides throughout the day. No pieces of eight were needed as Tony's new shipmates clambered aboard the good ship Yorkie. The public boat rides along York Stream were all free. Luckily thanks to Pirate Tony's boat skipper skills there were no men or women overboard and no-one ended up in Davy Jones' locker. Meanwhile across the choppy waves of Chapel Arches, GoodGymmer Dominic Hurst (a newly qualified canoe and kayak instructor) was busy heaving ho, taking people on free kayak and canoe taster sessions in the shark infested waters of York Stream. More than 40 people said Aye Aye and walked the plank into canoes for Dominic's watery trips, shouting "avast ye" whenever they saw Pirate Tony's boat pass.
At the end of a busy day it was time for GoodGymmers Tony and Dominic to enjoy a good Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum.

I joined Friends of Maidenhead Waterways to clear weeds and fallen branches from the Widbrook stream. We were delighted as the rain held off.

We worked on pulling out reeds out of the stream from the banks. The main concern was to not fall into water.

Soon enough it was a tea break and chatting. Afterwards we worked on sawing off branches that had fallen into water.

Soon enough it was 12 o'clock and we finished the task. I picked up the litter on my way back to the car as I had done in the morning. Two large bags of litter collected.

Good work done. Good start to the weekend.