Today it snowed! We had quite a few inches, which is unusual for Bristol. After I had performed my Snow Warden duties I headed up Troopers Hill into the nature reserve to take some pictures. I started out early while there weren’t many people around and took some pictures of the unspoilt snow. Later on, there were dog walkers and children sledging down the steep slopes and the whole place had a different atmosphere.
I took my Canon T90 as it is a professional-grade camera with better weather sealing than most of my other cameras. I don’t think any of my lenses are weather sealed, but they seem to have survived. I used Ilford FP4+ film as I think snow looks great in black & white.
Jonathan Gazeley 
And your snow warden duties consisted of half heartedly flinging a few shovels of grit around on Thursday evening with a female acomplice. Which achieved nothing. No revisit when the snow hit and as a result the paths are deadly.
You are pointless.
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Well done for helping out Jonathan – this is the first I’ve heard about the scheme and have duly signed up.
What did you achieve Dereck?
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I strongly disagree with the notion that the grit-spreading was either half hearted, or ineffective. With the help of my “accomplice” and one other volunteer who lives on Troopers Hill Rd, we spread grit on all of the footpaths and the entire length of the road, paying special attention to the four road junctions at Air Balloon Rd, Cassey Bottom, Green Down and Crews Hole. This took approximately two hours of our own time on Thursday night.
Of course no amount of grit is going to prevent snow from settling and on Friday there was a thick layer of snow around. However by Sunday when the snow turned to icy slush, it was clear that the grit was helping and some parts of the footpaths were clear. The slush was stained brown by the grit. Clearly this was not a waste of time, although it is not an entire solution on its own.
Therefore, despite your claim to the contrary, my fiancée and I did return to the pavements with our shovels to clear the slush where it had become compacted into ice. Due to a lack of time we were not able to clear the whole road, but we did a substantial section in the lower half of the hill to make the pavements safe to walk.
I must say, I didn’t see you out and about with your shovel. As you are clearly so keen for the pavements to be clear, I would have expected you to join in with the snow warden scheme. It is a community effort, after all. It’s not too late; you can still sign up to the scheme and I look forward to meeting you the next time snow wardens are called upon.
Be careful on the ice – it’s slippery out there! 😉
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Hey, Del–go fuck yourself, and when you’ve finished with that, why don’t you try gritting your own pavement! Serve you right if you fall on your arse, you cantankerous old twat!
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Hey Master Bateman, that’s nice of you.
Snow warden duties if carried out with care could be good, however, on this occasion it was rather poor. Snow predicted for early this morning, but no snow warden action. Snow predicted today, will they be out beforehand? I doubt it.
What was this “old twat” doing? I was, as usual, helping to provide a “meals on wheels” service to elderly and infirm citizens who are less able to provide for themselves.
Paddy and Damn, what did you do to help?
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The light dusting of snow overnight last night was never predicted to be thick enough to settle or cause problems. As I left the house this morning, I noted that the pavements are still gritty so there is no point in adding more grit. What we already have is sufficient. I am not expecting snow until late tonight or possibly tomorrow morning, but when I get home from work I will check again. Currently I do not anticipate that any action will be necessary in advance of the snow.
Tomorrow, if there is a layer of snow, and if I can get the morning off work I will shovel some of the footpaths if they are slippery. Anyone who is around at the time is welcome to help. If everyone does a little stretch near their house it won’t take long at all.
Before you criticise my efforts, please do note that I have a full time job, I am volunteering my own time in the evenings and weekends, and that I have taken time off work on Friday and will probably do so again in the future. I’m glad you’re helping by offering meals to people who are housebound by the snow but you do come across as hypocritical to moan about other people’s voluntary efforts with shovelling when you haven’t participated yourself. I wouldn’t go so far as to use language like Patrick but I think he has the right idea.
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Well John (and Paddy too) you will often find me walking my Golden Lab on TH, Be interesting to have a chat with you face to face. Say hello next time you see me. I shall be looking out for you too 🙂
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Hi Derek,
As much as I like labs (They’re lovely, such friendly animals! I’ve got a black lab myself. He’s a real bundle of mischief!) I’m not sure why you would bring your dog in to this thread!
Personally I think it’s great when people volunteer to do something for their community, on their own time and without payment. No matter how small the effort is I think it should be applauded and encouraged (so well done on your meals on wheels volunteering!) – if we all chip in we can all make a difference.
It’s a bit of a shame to hear Jonathan and his missus were out there on their own trying their best. Hopefully next time there will be a few more people in the scheme and it’ll grow in to something which works.
I notice it’s snowing again outside my office, so I’m off home early to clear my bit of pavement again (and do my elderly neighbours path)
Have a nice evening everyone!
-Paul
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Well, I’ve been out and brushed away the snow for 50 yards either side of my place and sprinkled some salt too. No sign of any snow wardens though. The pavements on Troopers Hill Road are deadly right now.
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Well done Derek! Nice to see you chipping in and doing something positive! Lets hope everyone else on your road does their bit too so it’s not all just left to two people this time 🙂
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