A short session for some of us today, due to the last of the hot weather. Kudos to Dushyant for arriving early and getting stuck in right away.

The task was to clear pathways around the orchard trees to facilitate access and in preparation for fruit picking later in the year. Following that, there was time to clear pathways up to the rabbit field - and to sample some of the early blackberries.

We finished with some locally sourced apple juice - as is the Manor Woods custom.

Southville Ward have opted out en masse from the Bristol Waste glyphosate "opportunities" so are choosing the weed by hand rather than obliterate the gutters and gaps on their roads. Many of the roads have group of residents able and willing to help with this initiative but some are struggling so GoodGym Bristol jumped at the chance to help out. Even though it was blisteringly hot.

With walkers from Workout and others meeting us at the task, we were soon hard at it (well, gently and calmly dissuading the weeds from their temporary locations) with scrapers, hackers, slicers and brooms all playing their part. In the shade.

With frequent swaps and slops (of water to drink), we soon moved from Warden Road across to Church Lane, by some sheltered housing and private housing. So much grass, dandelions, other-weeds-we-don't-know-the-names-of and a few stones/rocks. Honestly, only a few rocks. They just felt extra heavy in the heat.

With a final sweep (both visually and physically), we were on our way with a secret stop/mutiny to ASDAl's frozen treats aisle to choose a pack of 4 fake Cornettos in mint and another 4 in salted caramel, the wrappers were off as soon as the "Your Payment is Approved" banner appeared on the screen. With only 6 of us eating the ice-creams we than had the surprisingly difficult task of giving away two Cornetto-equivalents - one to a now-happier security guard and the other to the SIXTH person we tried - how is Bristol not snapping up the offer of a free Cornetto?

Fingers crossed for a cooler one next week, off to Hebron Burial Ground with it's extremes-of-weather reputation...