Westcombe woodlands is a genuine hidden gem. Tucked behind Maze hill station, this former nursing home shows just what happens when sensible natural management and the power of nature can achieve in an urban space.

The woodland is an old Good Gym favourite and on a glorious Sunday morning, with the sun shining and unseasonably warm temperatures, a keen team of 5 runners made their way from other good deeds to join the local volunteers at their monthly session. Tasks at the woodland tend to fall into two categories: a relatively tough session removing brambles and other overgrowth to allow other plants to flourish; and sessions involving lugging all and sundry up a steep slope that put the gym in Good Gym. Dear reader, from the title of this report you'll realise that today's task was very much the latter.

The material to be lugged was twofold: three of the team set to work collecting mulch and woodchip to replenish the paths and the other two found themselves staring at a large and (very) heavy bag of aggregate, that was there to help ballast a new staircase that the amazing volunteers had carved out to open access to a previously inaccessible area of the woods. And we rose to the challenge, the chippers not being satisfied with just one bucket at at time carried huge quantities up the hill and those carrying the aggregate got enough stone up the hill to complete almost a whole flight of steps.

It was hard work, but reward soon came in the form of cup and tea, biscuits and the satisfaction of another job well done.