Beating the Bounds is a traditional local activity for Rogation Sunday, walking round the boundaries of the Common so that people know what they hold as a community asset. In some places they beat the bounds of an entire parish, or ride round the boundaries of larger parishes.

The Common was nearly sold off for housing some years ago, but a determined campaign by local people (many now in the Focus Team) kept it in public ownership. This gives beating the bounds of the Common a special meaning. Please bring your children to show them what a lovely area we have just on the edge of the town.

Please come and join the walk, which starts from the kissing gate opposite St Briavel’s Drive at 3pm on Sunday 1 May. Dogs are welcome, and if you can bring a small child even better.  As long as they are don’t mind (too much) they get turned upside down at each kissing gate/corner and then given sweets, which is our take on the original practice of beating them with sticks and then giving them a coin.

If you want to see the bluebells at Wapley, go in the next few days – they’re really splendid at the moment. They are spread out around the path in the main woodland. The paths are good, easy walking.

Join the Friends of Ridge Wood for an interesting walk through the woodland led by Ed Drewitt and  learn how to identify the songs and calls of the common birdlife inhabiting Ridge Wood and the local area.

Meet at the Quarry Road entrance at 7pm.

Suggested donation: £2 adults, £1 children.

A small band of enthusiasts – the Lilliput Conservation Group – is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

10:00 – 12.00, meet at the Melrose Close entrance.

Learn how to identify native British bluebells and help conserve this vulnerable flower in Ridge Wood.

Please come and help tidy up this local beauty spot.

• Thursday 14 April 10.00 to 12.00
• Sunday 17 April 10.00 to 12.00

Litterpickers, bags and gloves will be supplied. There’s a lot of it to clean!

This will be a guided walk in Westridge Woods between Wotton under Edge and North Nibley with Pauline and Richard Wilson. Please wear walking boots or other stout footwear.

Ample free car parking is available at the Wickwar Road car park. Meet for a car share at the Clock Tower, High Street, Chipping Sodbury, 1.30pm.

Please come and join members of Lilliput Conservation Group this Tuesday (4 April) from 10.00 am until 12.00. Litter pickers and bags will be provided – everyone welcome. Meet at the Kingfisher Road gate –  please wear suitable footwear.

The ground is very wet underfoot – wellies or walking boots advised – but there’s plenty to see at Wapley as the Nature Reserve wakes up for the spring.

The bluebells have started to appear around the woodland paths:

And do you know where at Wapley you can find these strange bracket fungi?

The cold weather, and several of the regulars being away, meant a reduced turnout – only five – but two teams went round clearing the public paths of obstructions and picking up litter at the same time. Meanwhile, the fruit trees on the common area were given a “full service” – they were pruned back hard to encourage future growth and the right shape of branches in the future, as well as loosening the tree straps to provide growing room as appropriate.