Devonport Leat Project - June update
Please note that further information about this project is available here
The DPA is gearing up for a new conservation project starting in September 2011. Roborough Commoners Association have asked that Devonport Leat be cleared of scrub where it runs from Yelverton towards Clearbrook. The work also has the support of Dartmoor National Park Authority, as announced in their press release on 8 March 2011.
This section of the leat runs through a wooded area where there is a mixture of broad-leaved trees that make a picturesque scene. The trees in the woods will not be touched, only those in the leat or on its edge because they will damage its structure. In some places, the scrub blocks access to walkers and Commoners as they try to remove sick or dead animals.
The length to be worked on is 1¼ miles (2 km). It starts near the turn-in to Yelverton cricket ground and runs to the tunnel that few people realise is there, including some of the residents that I have spoken to! The tunnel is 218 yards (200 metres) in length and appears to be still in good condition although there are trees growing on its roof. This will put tremendous strain on the stonework as they grow – the tunnel was not intended to bear trees above it.
Leat tunnel with trees above
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Inside the tunnel
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The leat has not been maintained for a long time. At the moment, I do not know for how long. Obviously, it stopped carrying water when Burrator Reservoir opened in 1898, 113 years ago. Judging by the circumference of one tree in the leat, it has been there for almost thirty years.
The trees that are presently in place have come from wind-blown seeds and if they are not removed, they will break up the structure of the leat. The importance of the leat lays in it being a historical artefact showing how Plymouth and Devonport supplied themselves with vital water in the past. Indeed, the leat still delivers three million gallons a day to Burrator.
The DPA has already completed another project on Roborough Common on Plymouth Leat, known also as Drake's Leat, again funded by the Commoners' Association. This work opened up a long section of leat to walkers who seem to be very pleased with the results.
It is impossible to say how long the work will take. There are two sections of thick gorse mixed with hawthorn – not the easiest "gardening" to undertake and totally impassable to walkers and riders! There are other sections where we just need to rake out leaves that have accumulated over the years. All the waste will be cached nearby to make new micro-habitats for the wildlife.
The work will be done by volunteers. The DPA has a loyal band of souls who turn out in nearly all weathers. Generally, the work is not arduous – most of us are retired people and we have the good sense not to overdo things!
However, that loyal band are always looking for new people to join them and lend a hand. If you can wield a saw, handle a pair of loppers, use a rake or a fork, load trimmings into "drag bags" or move them to tipping points then do please get in touch – you would be very welcome - many hands etc! A good selling point is that after our labours, we can be found in a nearby hostelry congratulating ourselves on our efforts – we are a sociable lot. And ..... sometimes there's cake!
Contact us for more details.
