Delightfully dry weather in a strange week, GoodGym Bristol set off for Hebron Burial Ground to progress the project of reclaiming the green space from the brambles and nettles, before they go bonkers again in springtime.

Careful footing was the name of the game as many of the graves have raised edges that are difficult enough to spot in daylight let alone in the dark. So one foot on the grave was the minimum for stability!

Chopping was delicate through to savage depending who was wielding the tools and how close they could get to the ground. No carrots were harmed.

With progress made and brambles raked up and dragged to the compost area, we were soon posing for an end-of-task photo and heading back to Workout to celebrate Jason's 50th birthday with Cake Type Bits whilst trying not to encroach on the speed daters. As you do...

Some of the residents overlooking Hebron Burial Ground will wake up this morning to find they are actually overlooking the Burial Ground and not just an overgrown hedge blocking out the daylight. Topiary challenge accepted, where the look we were going for was a "hedge".

Giby joined us for the first time and got stuck into the bramble bashing after joining the walking group - welcome!

A few blackberries were eaten before the spiky stalks joined the growing compost pile via the now-slick "rake and tarp" technique, a few graves were tripped over, a lot of puns proposed (I just wish i could remember them) and it was soon time to hide behind the (much lower) hedge for the final photo and the walkers and runners to race back to Queen Square/Workout and on to Las Iguanas for Eats, taking advantage of the Tortilla Tuesday offer and discussing the racism/merits of Speedy Gonzales - its always deep and meaningful at GoodGym Bristol!

Heatwave 4 - and another visit to Hebron Burial Ground to help reclaim the space from the huge amount of brambles that have taken over.

Everyone walked as it was over 40 degrees and Gerry kindly provided chilled water on arrival with a choice of still or sparkling!

Another zone of the green space was selected, in the shade, and the chopping back was begun, a mix of snipping and whacking through the brambles taller than we are, effectively strimming them as close to the ground as we could - no chance of getting roots out yet but the path and individual grave stones becoming more visible with each visit.

French and German were practised for no discernible reason, showing we can all count and ask our way to places we don't want to go to. And order beer.

Another drink and a walk back down (only slightly hilly) to our "home" at Workout for drinks over looking the harbour and Marianne's apple cake to celebrate her 87th good deed (building up to her 100th?) or because she had loads of windfalls. Or maybe both.

Much entertainment was found with a game of the traditional "guess the middle name(s)" of people present or associated with people present. Hours of fun and we're not done yet, so that's something else to look forward to on future group runs.

On a perfect evening we gathered like excitable meerkats outside Workout. The chief meerkat briefed us on our mission this evening and we headed off.

A return visit to Hebron Burial Ground, this time to work on clearing back the brambles to the fence. The usual eclectic mix of topics were discussed this evening. The most controversial perhaps being whether Edward Scissorhands is misnamed as he actually has knives for hands? Edward Knifehands sounds a bit too sinister maybe? Whatever, he would have been quite useful this evening in our topiary mission. We are in prime bush snacking season at the moment so we nibbled on the berries to keep us energised while we snipped away. In a New York 40ish minutes we downed tools and headed back with only a few battle wounds to nurse.

A special mention to Paul who delivered leaflets in Easton this evening. Well done 🙂

Until next time…

Still the heatwave, 9 sweltering GoodGymmers set of from Workout to meet 2 more at the evening's task - Hebron Burial Ground. This is a project for the summer to help the local residents get some control in at least some of the space!

With thicker gloves deployed, Long and short snippers, the piles of brambles were soon growing but not before they'd drawn small amounts of blood from various GoodGymmers who'd chosen shorts over leggings in the heat. Congratulations to Frances who went with leggings anyway.

The secondary battle was with stinging nettles amongst the brambles, then with sticky bud whose seeds were targeted and thrown at other GGErs.

Some beautiful bees were making the most of the blossoms whilst other brambles already had delicious berries ready to eat.

Gerry and Jem had kindly provided water to keep us hydrated and we topped up before we made our excuses and headed back to the city and GoodGym Eats as it was the first Thursday of the month. Crispy Dosa was this month's venue with Dushyanthelping some of us choose tasty dosas and then found he'd ordered soup with lentil doughnuts (this may not be an accurate description).

Oh, and the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail is now live, with the GG obligation to take a photo with any sculpture you find when you're with at least one other GGer. Obviously.

We Rock (ran) and Roll (walked) to Hebron to continue the battle (of Evermore) against the bramble (on)!

The rain (song) had stopped in the evening, and despite me feeling a little dazed and confused, we headed over the hills and far away to continue to give the bramble no quarter!

Only one reported bramble injury tonight, but it was nobody's fault but mine.

Jerry would love us to come back, as long as I stop putting song titles in the reports, so iIm sure we'll be back soon as I've ran out of Led Zeppelin titles I know.. next week, The Beatles!

Last Picture is the anonymously placed statue is Princess Caraboo (centre) :-)