I was starting to think ...

... that the protective barrier put up, I think, by Yorkshire Water had been there for so long that it risked breaching the regulations banning enclosures on the Stray. However, this morning it looks as though the work has finished and they have re-seeded the area that was dug up. Hooray, and well done whoever was responsible for this.

Not so good, though - it's becoming increasingly apparent that quite a few of the chestnut trees on the Stray are infected with a nasty virus. It probably won't kill them, but it certainly makes them unhappy, and my guess is that trees that are already stressed are most vulnerable.

In some parts of the Stray the trees are flourishing, in others they clearly struggle. The much-admired cherry tree avenue is starting to look a bit desperate. I have a feeling there's a need for a thorough review of the whole environment to work out how best to preserve it for the future.