Sandford Brake

Lovely little wooded area..
Sep 6th, 2022

Calm place
Jul 9th, 2021

This is an area of semi-wild woodland to the north and south of the Cowley Electricity Sub-station on the southern edge of Blackbird Leys. In the north it is bounded by Grenoble Road and the Brake Hill roundabout. A dirt track runs adjacent to Grenoble road between which there is a substantial hedge as if the dirt track was for those who didnt want to be too close to cars - like me. Sandford Brake is bounded on the east side by a section of Blackberry Lane which runs between the B480, the Watlington Road, and the electricity station. The southern end of Blackberry Lane is connected to a very attractive footpath which heads south up the hill to the row of houses on Wilmotts in Toot Baldon. A person I bumped into when I was outside the electricity station told me that the lane was Roman in origin. This person also stated that the sub-station was at the forefront of one aspect of green technology because it was using two huge batteries to store energy to reduce peak demands on the electrical grid. I saw later that there was indeed a notice on the fence next to the entrance indicating that batteries were in operation. The western side of Sandford Brake is a farmers field and two more fields define its southern border. Over the decades I have passed Sandford Brake many times and never bothered to explore it. One of the reasons for this is because I thoughtlessly assumed that the trees were just camouflage for the sub-station. After my visit to the woodland I have to conclude that the two woodlands (one to the north and one to the south) are much too big to be merely camouflage. Neither of them are tree plantations where the trees have been laid out in an orderly fashion. Some of the trees in the woodland are mature and must have been there for a long time before the arrival of the sub-station. Most of the other trees must have grown after the construction of the station. The two wooded areas are both substantial in size - the bigger one to the north is roughly the same size as Magdalen Woods on Wood Farm, Barton Nature reserve, or Court Place Farm Nature park. Of all the wooded nature reserves Ive visited, Sandford Brake seems to be the wildest and least cultivated - even wilder than Louie Memorial Park. There are quite a few trees which have toppled over blocking the footpaths. I like to see trees strewn over paths - as long as they dont make it too difficult for walkers. Most of the footpaths in the woods are fairly well defined indicating frequent use. Sandford Brake is undoubtedly a wood which local people could regard with pride. It possesses an undeniable beauty. But, and I suppose I cant put off the issue any further, cue some foreboding electronic hum being played in the background (a bit like the electrical hum from the sub-station), it is a beauty being tarnished by a few who obviously believe that the woodland was put there solely for their personal benefit. It is the same problem shared with Sandford Brake Farm. Sandford Brake is undoubtedly surrounded on all sides, and from above, by the sub-station or electricity pylons and high voltage cables but the wood shouldnt be dismissed as mere window dressing or camouflage. The electricity company could have quite easily flattened the land and erected a high, wire-meshed fence so it ought to be highly commended for doing something so positive with the site. Putting the limitations aside, the wood is a treat.
Sep 24th, 2021