Since getting back on my bike I have been doing a bit of path clearance. I enjoy the opportunity to hack up trees for fun.
I had a ride along the St Leonard's-Duddingston Innocent path stretch this morning, and see that there has been a lot of path clearance, of the vegetation that was making it hard for two bikes to pass in places. The clearance has clearly been done with a vehicular machine, there are tyre tracks in places. And they did a really good job and the path feels like someone cares.
Was that the council or some other entity that did the path clearance by machine? If that's a viable option, why are other paths being left to be done by volunteers by hand? Well, maybe because we enjoy hacking up trees.
I learned a lesson this morning as I cut a few branches off a tree that was growing at the top of the Parkside end of the path. One of the neighbours came out, quite aggressive, saying you have no right to be doing that to private property. I mention that it would be nice for cyclists not to have to veer into the parking spaces or the pavement. He replies that i have no right to clear paths without the landowners' consent, should have asked the factors' contractors instead (Greenfingers, renowned through Edinburgh i am sure for their great commitment to quality and service). He said he'd taken my picture, which freaked me out somewhat, then slammed the door on me.
Well, fair enough for getting carried away with path clearance in residential areas, probably a Wrong Thing To Do, i will confine my activities to unmaintained, neglected paths well out of net curtain twitching view in future.
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