Three Sisters Nore walk

The second walk with the Three Sisters theme will take place on Sunday 4th October from Bennetsbridge to Maddockstown in County Kilkenny. Those who would like to car pool should meet at Millers Marsh carpark in Waterford at 12.45. Those who wish to go direct should meet in Bennetsbridge at 1.30. The walk will take 2 hours, to Maddockstown and back along the river Nore. The trail is part of the Kilkenny trails network but is not suitable for buggies.

Drowned forest to bats.

The August evening walk took place between Woodstown and Fornaght bay. Denis Cullen led a motley crew from Woodstown over to Fornaght Bay. The bay provides a range of low sand dune, sand beach and mudflats. The remains of an ancient forest can be easily identified at low tide.
On return to the carpark at Woodstown, Denis took out his bat detector and we were able to hear and see bats in the twilight as they moved up and down the tree line.

On the boreen down to Fornaght Bay

Remnants of ancient forest at Fornaght Bay

Heron in the twilight

Identifying dune flora

Denis after the fungi

3 Sisters walks theme

The Waterford branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust plan to organise their Sunday walks before for the autumn of 2015 around the theme of the Three Sisters.
11th August 3 sisters estuary walk from Woodstown carpark at 7.30 p.m. to Fornaght and Creaden head.
13th September on the river Nore from Bennetsbridge to Maddockstown (changed to 4th October)
11th October on the river Barrow from Graiguenamanagh to St Mullins.
14th November on the river Suir from Bilberry to Carriganore.

Summer walks

The Summer has started and so have the Tuesday walks. However, there has been little uptake so far.
July and August remain.

July 7th: Newtown woods and the Doneraile. The meeting place is Newtown Cove at 7.30 p.m.





August 11th: Woodstown and Fornaght. The meeting place is Woodstown carpark.
Here is a link to some old pictures I took of Fornaght...here

Forthcoming events

The Waterford Branch holds its AGM at May 11th at the Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Barrack St Waterford. The  meeting starts at 7.30 pm sharp.

We have invited the environmental reps. who sit on various Local Agenda 21 bodies to attend and identify local environmental issues that need to be addressed.  Please come along. 

We will also have present a representative of the Avon Wildlife Trust who is based in Bristol.  

On Sunday May 24th , Waterford IWT offers a two -hour  sailing trip in Waterford Estuary.   

Grace O'Sullivan operates the  Brian Boru, a 65' ketch rigged, fully licenced sailing vessel, with Tony McLoughlin. She will be our guide for the trip.  The Brian Borus has a spacious deck-house which accommodates all passengers. Grace will tell us about the ecology of this rich and historic body of water.  Maximum number of participants  for this unique experience is twelve.  The trip is being offered at a special IWT rate of €20 for members and €25 for non-members on a first-come basis.   

Please reserve at woodhouseduo@gmail.com asap.  The trip starts at 2 pm. 

River Suir walk

This months Sunday walk will take place on 10th May along the river Suir towpath. Meet at the carpark in Kilsheelan at 2.30 p.m.
There are two lengths of walk: 5km and 11.5km
The longer walk will end in Carrick and takes 3 hours. A bus will drop us back to Kilsheelan. The shorter option ends close to the Merck factory and exits by way of the fishermans path where a bus will be waiting to pick up. This option lasts 90 minutes.

Removing linear wildlife features

one height for all... the Council policy

whats left of the trees...

...once a beautiful glen....the Glen road in Tramore

....making room for access to the Ballygunnar graveyard

any chance for the remaining hedgerows along Mass path?