Category Archives: Pix and Picks

Another OWL Litterpick. Another opportunity to clear up the litter, much of it offensive to others. Five volunteers, all experienced, all ready for the task in hand.

Not just the litter that has been thrown around anywhere and everywhere. At least some have tried to put their rubbish in the right place – we just haven’t been able to keep up with the demand!

There’s always plenty to do. There was more than plenty today!

Here’s another place where we just haven’t kept up with demand. But thanks to those who have at least left their rubbish where it’s easy to collect, not carelessly chucked it in the bushes where access to it is more difficult.

Eventually, with plenty of litter having been collected, and more waiting to be, it was time for a refreshment break.

Then back to more collecting of litter and emptying of the black bags we’ve installed in those ‘Special Places’ that guys like to use.

Our OWL Volunteers covered as much of the cruising ground as they could in the time available.

And finally the stapling up of the rubbish sacks and stacking them at the roadside ready for collection by our friendly Forest Wardens.

And how’s this for commitment?! Aware that we had not had time to visit every Special Place we normally clear up, one of our wonderful volunteers went back to deal with them and collected a further three sacks of litter. So, in total, thirty one sacks of mixed litter were collected today, plus eight collected by one of our volunteers working solo. That’s a total this month of THIRTY NINE sacks.

The next OWL litterpick is on Tuesday, 3^rd May. If you or someone you know think that it’s worth keeping the woods clear of litter so that everyone can enjoy this unique environment please consider joining us. Everyone is welcome. Just look out for details on Squirt or pitch up at the Snaresbrook Road car park for a 10.30 am start on any of the dates listed here.

(Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Not the best of days to be out in the woods at Snaresbrook – but, as one of our volunteers commented, it could have been a lot worse.

Skilled litterpickers who know the intricacies of the paths through the woods very well, our group of five volunteers were soon ready for action.

We know of plenty of cock-worshipping that goes on at Snaresbrook – here’s an opportunity for worship of a different kind.

Most of the time, at an OWL litterpick, we pick litter. Today we had an additional task – to clear a fallen branch away from a path. Volunteers always at the ready.

Cruisers, especially those of us who cruise at night, could easily find our entrance blocked and stumble into this hazard.

So, armed with the necessary equipment the branch was quickly cut away, leaving easy access for those who choose to use it.

As usual, there was no shortage of rubbish, and the wet weather made many items even heavier than usual. But in true OWL fashion we just got on with it, lugging our heavy sacks around and eventually feeling we’d done enough that it was time for the well-deserved break.

Then back for more of the same in different areas of the woods.

Often an interesting find or two on an OWL litterpick, occasionally with a theme of the day. Today’s was mobile phones. One leather mobile phone case with no phone inside, and one leather case complete with phone.

We are drying it out in the hope that it might be brought back to life. If you recognise it get in touch (owlsnaresbrook@gmail.com) and as long as you can prove it’s yours we’ll arrange to get it back to you.

On a more positive note, it was a special day for one of our volunteers – and there were daffodils to help celebrate St David’s Day.

Not a bad haul – 20 sacks collected today, plus another five collected by another of our amazing volunteers – so a total of 25 sacks this month.

The next OWL litterpick is on Tuesday, 5^th April. We are a friendly, informal, group of guys who think that the woods are better for everyone if they are not strewn with litter which some find offensive. Everyone is welcome to join us. Just look out for details of our OWL litterpicks on Squirt or pitch up at the Snaresbrook Road car park for a 10.30 am start on any of the dates listed  here. We provide litterpickers, rubbish sacks and gloves – and free refreshments!

(Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

A great day for it in the woods – and for litterpicking as well!

Six enthusiastic volunteers had plenty of work to do emptying the various rubbish sacks. And, as a result of less-than-considerate visitors to the woods throwing their rubbish on the ground or in the bushes, collecting that too. Is this what they do in their own homes?!

It was our usual plan – work from the most distant point back towards the car park, meaning that we weren’t carrying ever-heavier sacks away from our base, only to have to bring them back. Our Cunning Plan!

The weather was good and we were able to make quick progress.

Sometimes out in the open and often in the bushes

And at the various ‘hot spots’ where a lot of the action occurs.

Of course, it’s always good to see that our rubbish bags have been appropriately used. Why chuck rubbish in the bushes when there’s a perfectly good rubbish sack to hand? (answers on a postcard!)

Plenty of sacks to be emptied; more than enough litter scattered around. Which eventually means the need for it to be carried back to the car park.

There’s a bonus in being back at the car park – once everyone is there it’s time for refreshments!

A chance for a break, a chat and a catch up.

Then back for more of the same but in another area not yet cleared.

And time to ensure that access from the back wasn’t impeded (a preference for some who use the woods). No more bending down needed before getting into this hot spot!

Then the sealing of the rubbish sacks and placing them ready for collection by the lovely Forest Keepers.

Another excellent OWL litterpick by our brilliant OWL Volunteers. Twenty five sacks of rubbish and a sleeping bag.

The next litterpick is on Tuesday, 1^st March when all are welcome.

(Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Dreadful weather, but our two Senior OWLs were up for it, underlining our proud boast that we’ll turn up whatever the weather.

No time to lose – the sooner it was started the sooner it would be finished.

Not sure what part of the body this self-adhesive Heat Pad might have been attached to…?! Gives a whole new meaning to willy-warmers!

Plenty for us to do. We wonder if guys chuck tissues around their homes in the same way they seem to do here – despite there being a rubbish sack nearby.

Someone has brought their reading material – presumably in case it’s not busy?

Time for some warming refreshments – much needed on a cold wet day like today.

Then a few final areas to visit. We wonder if this was for use before or after? (hopefully not during!)

We reckon it is so much better for everyone when there’s no litter spoiling the place.

At the end some heavy and very full bags, including a mega-bag from the OWL bin – giving the equivalent of eleven sacks of rubbish collected today.

And adding on the sacks of rubbish collected by our volunteers working solo at other times gives a grand total for the last month of twenty six sacks of rubbish!

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

The Christmas Special Litterpick. Christmas Hats and Festive Refreshments. But the refreshments had to wait until the work was done.

Good to have experienced volunteers involved as it makes the task much easier.

Five volunteers, especially at this time of year, can work through all of the cruising area and the hotspots very efficiently.

Although not at ‘summer’ levels there was still plenty of litter to be collected.

Festive refreshments, much appreciated, provided by our Festive Christmas Elf (rumour has it that he’ll be emptying Santa’s sack later on).

Then just the bags to staple and take to the road ready for collection. Six bags of recyclable and eleven of general rubbish. Adding that to eleven bags collected by individual OWL litterpickers gives a total for this month of twenty eight sacks of litter.

A quick, efficient, session. But there was one more task to complete. The bin we’ve installed to make it easier for guys to dispose of their rubbish had taken a kicking and needed to be repaired. Again, our Christmas Elf is good with his hands and soon had it fixed.

Our next litterpick, the first in 2022, is on Tuesday, 4^th January.

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

A good day for a group meeting of OWL litterpickers – the crisp autumn morning developed into a beautiful sunny day. Dry paths made it ideal for litterpicking.

Five OWLs (OWL = OUT With Litter) met up to deal with the litter strewn across the cruising ground and dropped into the rubbish sacks in the various hotspots.

Looks like someone has been gnawing on the log. Was the action that painful?!

Maybe they weren’t using sufficient lube? Not sure this is the answer!

With admirable attention to detail our two teams dealt with the busiest areas and soon it was time for a much-welcome refreshment break.

Then it was off for some solo work in the places less-visited by OWL volunteers on their usual routes. It’s surprising how many places get used. We still don’t understand why, when there’s a rubbish sack nearby, some guys still chuck their sexual debris on the ground or in the bushes. Rather than ‘fuck and chuck’ why not ‘shag and bag’?

But thanks, of course, to the many guys who are considerate in taking their rubbish away or putting it into the rubbish sacks.

Then back to the car park to seal the bags and stack them along the road ready for collection. A good haul. 12 sacks of general rubbish and 8 of recycling. Another impressive morning’s work.

That means a total in the last month, including the rubbish collected by volunteers working at other times, of 22 sacks of general rubbish and 20 of recyclable rubbish. 42 sacks altogether.

Our next litterpick is our Christmas Special on Tuesday, 7^th December.

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Unfortunately a perfect storm of non-attendees for this litterpick! Work commitments; injury; annual leave. And some pretty grim weather over the past 24 hours.

Meaning it was just two OWL volunteers who took on the task of today’s litterpick. But there was a task to be done, and done it was.

You have to wonder if it was some horny action in this hot spot that necessitated the need for these…

With two experienced litterpickers the work ran smoothly

These rubbish sacks are usually overflowing with litter, but clearly cooler weather has arrived and the nude sunbathing area is no longer so well-used.

We find all sorts of drug paraphernalia on our litterpicks. We’re pretty sure there’s no ‘magic’ high in this natural one.

The traditional ‘refreshment break’ pic

Then on to complete the task of clearing up everywhere in the woods. Was this for use before or after the oral action?!

A pretty good morning’s work. Ten sacks of rubbish collected; five of general rubbish and five of recyclables.

Giving altogether this last month, adding the numbers of sacks collected by individual volunteers, twenty sacks of general rubbish and twenty-one sacks of recyclables. A grand total of forty-one sacks..

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Several OWL volunteers have been undertaking the task of emptying our ‘permanent’ rubbish sacks, and the litter bin, on a weekly basis. Today’s session was one of our regular ‘monthly’ sessions where we undertake a more thorough clean-up of the entire cruising ground.

Several of our regulars couldn’t make it so it was good to welcome a new volunteer who soon got used to the job in hand.

First stop for our litterpicking, the nude sunbathing area. By doing that area first we potentially disturb fewer sunbathers. This was the case with only two there when we called by, but fifteen there later in the day.

Then two teams to range across different locations, picking up all litter on the way and emptying the various bags we’ve left in many of the ‘hot spots’. 

There was plenty to keep us busy and the results speak for themselves,

On a hot day an even greater need to stop for a break and some welcome refreshments.

Then back for more. It’s sometimes surprising what we find.

Clearly someone needed to use two hands

Then, having covered practically the entire cruising ground, the stapling of the bags and the display at the roadside.

Today’s haul – 14 sacks of recyclable and 14 sacks of general rubbish. If we add on the sacks collected by individual volunteers since our last work party that gives a total for this month of 66 sacks of rubbish.

We are grateful to those who dispose of their litter considerately – using the black sacks in the ‘hot spots’ and the bin. We’d be even more grateful if those who bring full cans and bottles of drink could take them away empty, not leave us to do so.

 (Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

Another month had passed since our July Litterpick. In the intervening weeks one or two volunteers had emptied the various sacks we’ve left around. That’s meant that in most cases the sacks have been saved from overflowing. And there has been even more regular emptying of the OWL litter bin.

Our regular monthly OWL litterpicks are when we aim to not only empty all of the rubbish sacks but also to clear up the rest of the rubbish that gets left around and thrown around. (If people can take full bottles and cans to the woods, why can’t they take their empties away with them?! Answers  on a postcard.)

First stop, the nude sunbathing area. What did we say about bags not overflowing? This one was getting close!

Down to work emptying the bag

Then some bag-replacement which will hopefully provide enough capacity that the three bags don’t start overflowing before we can get back to them.

It’s funny what we find in the woods while clearing up the hot spots. It’s usually condoms, condom foils, lube sachets and wipes. Occasional bottles of poppers, maybe a vinyl glove. We weren’t sure what activity had been going on here; obviously some education of some sort!

But flicking through the book some of us understood why we’d got a liking for cruising – our early years were possibly informed by it having something to do with being in the woods and playing with balls!

Onward, and the collection was certainly growing. Nevertheless, good to see the rubbish sacks being so well used.

OWL volunteers clear litter from everywhere they can find it. Along the tracks

and in the hot spots.

Back to base to dump our first loads (and there’s a lot of dumping of loads in these woods!) and time for a well-earned break.

Then back for another trawl through different areas to ensure that we’d collected all we could. And another interesting find. We’ve seen guys cruising on bikes and electric scooters. This chap must have started young!

Then the preparation of the bags ready for collection. The totals: Fifteen sacks of general rubbish. Seventeen sacks of recyclables, a child’s bike and a traffic cone. Add that to the thirty-five sacks collected since our last Tuesday litterpick. That’s an amazing SIXTY SEVEN sacks of rubbish in a month.

Big thanks to our OWL volunteers.

(Please note, we respect everyone’s right to anonymity and only show pics of those willing to have them posted. No inferences should be drawn from anyone’s participation in an OWL litterpicking session)

We knew we were going to be short of volunteers for this litterpick – guys working, returning to work, on holiday, not available. And we knew the weather forecast wasn’t good – in fact it was forecast to be dreadful.

Nevertheless, we had four lovely volunteers, all prepared to get stuck in with the task in hand. So off we headed.

We are so used to this by now that it comes naturally. We just get on with it. Here’s what we sometimes find in a hot spot – tissues, condom foils and lube sachets strewn around on the ground.

But more and more we find that our rubbish sacks are being used well and there are some pleasant hot spots, just right for a horny adventure.

We are pretty comprehensive in the territory we cover. By now, after years of OWLs having picked up sexual debris in the cruising areas, we reckon we know practically every place that gets used.

Conveniently the point just before which our bags are too heavy to carry back coincides with a refreshment break!

During the last few litterpicks, as well as the usual sorting of non-recyclable and recyclable litter, we’ve separated-out drinks cans which are destined to be melted down

and used to make artwork which has been stimulated by themes in the woods.

More litter to be picked up after our break

With some heading off in other directions

And then finally the stapling and placing of the bags onto the roadside

Thirteen sacks of non-recycling and eleven of recycling today. Some of our volunteers have been litterpicking on an ad hoc basis since our June litterpick, and we’ve also been emptying the rubbish sacks once a week. So, in total, since our last litterpick, we’ve collected 52 sacks of non-recycling and 44 of recycling. Not a bad haul!

Thanks again to our lovely volunteers.