Category Archives: Pix and Picks

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.

The sun was shining. Seven willing volunteers turned up ready to get to work. And best of all, although there was plenty of litter to pick up, the majority of it was in bins and bags, with much less (which doesn’t mean none!) strewn around the place.

So a big THANK YOU to the increasing number of guys who are choosing to dispose of their litter – and especially sexual debris – considerately. Thanks, too, to those who have said that they’ve enjoyed reading items on this website and appreciate what we are doing. Not all is good, though, and we agree with one poster on Squirt who posted:

“it disgusts me seeing shit covered condoms hanging off branches etc that ordinary people and their offspring can see. No excuse for it”

OWL wants horny cruising to continue uninterrupted and pissing off other legitimate users of the area by leaving offensive rubbish around doesn’t help our cause. Which is why we aim to clean the area up on a regular basis.

Initial briefing over we were soon off to work. Two groups, one heading to the Nude Sunbathing Area where we knew there had been plenty of use and where we found plenty of litter to collect. With all the litter being in one place, our permanent litter sack there having been filled to overflowing, the task was fairly straightforward.

Meanwhile our other team were working nearer to the car park; but with a somewhat different haul. Those of us who visit on other occasions had noticed that that chair had moved around the woods for a while, having been creatively used for some interesting activity. But by now it was probably past its best.

Lots of work being done and lots of litter being collected. So, time for a break and some refreshments. And, naturally, conversation about the removal of a swarm of bees last week (it’s here!)

Then back to more of the same but in different places. The holly bushes round the place we call The Gymn have been cut back so there is no longer any private action in that Hot Spot, but The Leisure Centre still gets a lot of healthy, horny, use. It’s a shame that the users there aren’t as careful with their litter as others are elsewhere.

Our lovely volunteers having strayed far and wide in the woods to collect litter, it was finally back to base and time for the stapling up of the sacks and the count of our total haul.

Thirty six sacks of general rubbish (including lots of used condoms, condom foils, lube sachets and wipes), seven sacks of aluminium cans (to be recycled into some artwork), a chair and a tyre.

Not a bad haul for a morning’s work. Well done to all.

We’ll be back next month on July 6th. Everyone is welcome to join us. We are an informal, friendly group. Not only do we provide all the necessary equipment, there’s also free refreshments and of course, whereas other car park users would be paying £4 to park in the car park, our volunteers get free parking.

Several of the OWLs take an interest in all aspects of the Forest and one had spotted something a bit unusual – a swarm of bees hanging from a branch in the middle of the track.

And this was a BIG swarm! (that whole mass is just bees!)

If they were honeybees they wouldn’t cause too much trouble. Unless someone walked right into them – which being in the middle of the track would be possible, especially if distracted by views elsewhere. Or if anyone decided to knock the hell out of it with a stick.

OWL is keen to ensure cruising can continue safely so action was needed. Only one thing for it – a message and pic to OWL’s Resident Apiarist for confirmation of whether or not it was a honey bee swarm; and suggestions of what to do with it (he can be relied upon to give a good answer to that question under any circumstances!).

It turns out that it was a honey bee swarm and it would be advantageous to remove it. Plans were made to undertake the task the following morning.

A quick check with our friendly Forest Keeper that it wouldn’t be against the byelaws to remove it and it was agreed that pragmatically getting on and removing it would be wise.

It’s not unusual to see men dressed in unusual gear walking round the Forest so a guy in a beekeeper’s suit wasn’t really out of place and received no attention at all.

Preparation over (remove lid of box) it was time to act. A quick snip of the branch

and the swarm was in the box. That’s in the region of 20,000 bees!

Lid on with a bit of a gap to allow those outside to get in with their mates (this surely has to be the largest intimate gathering that has ever occured in the woods at Snaresbrook!?).

Then a wait of maybe 20 minutes to allow those bees that had left the swarm to understand where their queen was and get back to her (maybe they took a while because there were other queens around in the woods and they were distracted!)

Finally, with most having gone back into the box (the stragglers would find their ways back to the colony they had first come from) time to seal them in ready for their ride to a better place – one of our apiarist’s hives which was waiting for them.

Apparently its a good time of year to gather a swarm from the wild. As the old adage says:

A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay;

A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon;

A swarm of bees in July isn’t worth a fly.

Hmmm!

There are other things to do in the woods. And, like a bee sting, they also cause swelling! Good deed over it’s back to cruising! Bees aren’t the only things to produce sweet sticky stuff.

LATEST UPDATE!  The bees have settled in to their new home well and are already out foraging. 

Another record-breaking litterpick for the OWLs. Eight enthusiastic volunteers, with the opportunity to welcome two new guys.

As always there was plenty to do and after the initial briefing – including, unusually, a request to sort drinks cans into separate rubbish sacks – we were off. Most of us are old hands at this and the new hands soon got the hang of things and were working effectively. Along the paths and into the various ‘hot spots’ with many yielding plenty of swag for us to collect. Our ‘permanent’ bags are being well-used, as is the bin we’ve placed on the footpath. Sadly some guys don’t seem to understand how to use a rubbish sack and throw their sexual debris into the bushes; potentially that’s more difficult than dropping their rubbish into the conveniently-place rubbish sacks. Do they do the same at home?! OWL believes that, as a facility used by a range of people, there is no need to piss others off by leaving used condoms, condom foils, lube sachets and so on all over the place. The recent cutting back of vegetation to expose (and ruin) several of the ‘hot spots’ seems to suggest that at least one ‘vigilante’ has taken it upon themselves to try to stop the horny action that goes on in the bushes.

Eventually it was time to take the ‘first half’ sacks back to the car park and enjoy a bit of friendly banter and some Covid-compliant refreshments.

Then on for more. We’ve noticed that some of the action has moved (maybe because of the cutting-back of vegetation?) nearer to Woodford New Road. We were on a mission to clear that area up.

There was plenty to deal with and two groups attacked the large amounts of litter – in newly-discovered ‘hot spots’ – with enthusiasm and efficiency!

We think it’s a lot better for everyone when it looks more like this – with only dappled sunlight on the ground:

To save us lugging sacks back to the car park our friends, the Forest Wardens, had agreed that we could leave some of the sacks near the traffic lights for them to collect.

Then a stroll back to base, taking in some of the other areas, including the nude sunbathing area.

And finally the task of sealing the remaining sacks and placing them by the road.

The final total, including two extra sacks collected by a volunteer when the rest had left, was 34 sacks of general litter and 26 of recyclable materials. That’s an amazing 60 sacks of litter which we think is a record-breaker. Since our April litterpick two of our lovely volunteers had also undertaken their own solo litterpicks, collecting a further 11 sacks. Giving a Grand Total of 71 sacks of litter over the last month.

Ten sacks of cans went off to be used in the creation of a piece of art! We’ll be pleased to see it in due course!

Although we always feel good when we collect record amounts of litter it would be better still if we didn’t have to!

If you think you might like to help keep the cruising area in a state that minimises the likelihood of complaints, feel free to join us at one of our litterpicks. We are a friendly group. Many of us cruise the woods. We welcome anyone with a bit of time to spare on the first Tuesday of each month. We publish details of forthcoming litterpicks on Squirt; dates of the rest of our OWL litterpicks for 2021 can be found by clicking 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)

Our first official OWL Litterpick of 2021. A great group of guys; good weather; good atmosphere; good banter.

We knew there would be plenty to do – although some of our OWLs had undertaken their own individual litterpicks in January and February (what some stars!) so there could have been even more litter to collect.

Experienced litterpickers, we knew what we had to do and got on with it. Some emptying and replacing the ‘permanent’ bags we’ve left in many of the hot spots

Others working through the woods collecting the range of litter we are used to finding.

We think cleaning the woods up – especially of the large amount of sexual debris – is worthwhile. But we also find it difficult to understand why litter has to be discarded, rather than put in the various rubbish sacks and bins that are available. Some places are pretty grim.

Is it any wonder that members of the public, often with kids who enjoy exploring the woods and the various paths and hidey-holes, get upset when they see so much offensive litter? Although we don’t approve of it, does it come as any surprise that someone has cut down much of the vegetation, presumably to spoil our fun by removing the bushes that used to hide a popular hot spot? If we don’t want more of this to happen surely we have to take some responsibility and not leave evidence of our fun there for all to see?! (Rant over!)

A good first half and time for some well-earned refreshments (all provided in a Covid-secure way, of course).

Then off for more. And guess what?! Another area that many of us like to use for nude sunbathing. But does it really have to be left like this?

Much better if it was left like this

We don’t want to be party-poopers. We want guys to be able to do what they want to do, enjoying horny fun. But without causing offence to others and risking complaints and the inevitable negative responses.

Our willing volunteers (yes, we do it for no reward apart from knowing that we’ve potentially helped make the woods a better place for everyone) did a brilliant job.

Thirty six sacks of rubbish collected today. And add forty six sacks that individual OWLs have already collected in 2021 – that’s a total of EIGHTY TWO sacks of litter, including a very large amount of condoms, condom foils, lube sachets, wipes, tissues, the odd vinyl glove, syringes, a bong, poppers bottles and so on.

 (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)

It was good for our OWLs to meet again, post-Lockdown, and to be prepared to take part in a litterpick despite the conditions not being the most favourable. Any excuse to have a fun time in the woods, eh?

This was not just any OWL Christmas Special Litterpick, this was a Birthday Special Litterpick for two of our group!

As usual we set off in our various directions, aiming to clear up as much litter as we could find. Although the recent bad weather might potentially have reduced the amount of cruising in the woods, maybe Lockdown had increased the motivation to get out and have fun!

It’s surprising who you find loitering (or anti-littering) in the woods!

The hot spots delivered their usual ‘treasure’ – condoms, condom foils, lube sachets, wipes and tissues. As well as the odd empty bottle of poppers, latex glove and kamagra sachet. Many of the paths were pretty free from litter

A substantial amount of litterpicking having been done it was time for our Festive Refreshments (who can resist a warm mince pie and a glass of mulled wine – all prepared under the most careful conditions). And it was time to toast our two Birthday Boys! Many Happy Returns (and not just to the woods!).

Then off for another round of litterpicking. Good to see that some of the rubbish sacks we’ve left in the hotspots are being so well used.

What a great way to spend some time in the woods!

And finally the sealing of the bags and display at the roadside – with, again, several people thanking us for what we are doing. Thirty-three sacks of rubbish in total; twenty of general rubbish and thirteen of recyclables.

It almost being Christmas we aren’t sure if Santa would approve of us filling so many sacks. Maybe, like so many other users of the woods, he’d like his sack emptied!

All credit to our OWLs for all of their work throughout the year. In 2020 the OWLs have collected over 350 sacks of litter from the woods.

For the rest of the winter the OWLs would usually hibernate. But given the amount of litter that we continue to find, we’ll be carrying on with our ‘First Tuesday of The Month’ litterpicks throughout 2021. All are welcome. Click here for the dates of OWL Litterpicks in 2021

 (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)

Like other guys who use the woods, we wanted to get one in before Lockdown. That ‘one’ being another OWL litterpick.

For good reasons some of our regulars couldn’t make it, but those who did were among the finest, and made a brilliant job of the task in hand – to rid the woods of litter, much of it offensive to other legitimate users of the woods.

Safety briefing over we headed off on our usual routes, clearing litter and emptying black sacks as we went on our merry way. We know the woods well (why wouldn’t we – many of us enjoy the facilities they have to offer!). There’s unlikely to be a ‘hot spot’ (for ‘hot spot’ read ‘shagging place’) we don’t know of and don’t visit.

We are used to finding a range of unusual or ‘wouldn’t expect to be there’ items. Today’s were more ‘wish they hadn’t been left there like that’ items. In an area many use to have their fun, lots of discarded syringes. Fair enough if that’s your thing. But leaving them used and uncapped, potentially able to stab animals and, worse still, horny guys? That’s not on.

After a good session filling our sacks (well, Christmas is on the way) it was time to bring them back to the car park and have a break and some refreshments. Socially-distanced, of course.

Then back to the task in hand and more visits to more hot spots. It’s surprising who you find in them.

One for the ecologists – this bramble in flower at this time of year? If only it was a sign that Spring was soon on its way!

More litter-picking, high and low.

And then the final return to the car park, stapling of the bags, and displaying of them at the roadside ready for them to be collected by the rubbish cart. Today’s haul – 29 sacks of assorted rubbish.

And just as we were finishing, nice to be complimented on our amazing work by some passers-by.

Our next, December, litterpick was to have been on 2^nd December – the last day of Lockdown. As long as any restrictions in place at the time don’t prevent it our Christmas Special (and Birthday Special for two of our regulars!) will be on Friday, 4^th December. 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)

The weather might have been forecast as gloomy and wet, but our brilliant volunteers weren’t going to be put off by that. Ten skilled guys turned up to what was going to be another highly productive litterpicking session.

With such a good number we had groups heading out in various directions both to pick up the litter on the paths and in the bushes, and also to empty the black sacks we leave in the many ‘hot spots’.

Well, when you are litterpicking it seems that a wheelie bin could be handy!

That gorse is growing up tall again!

Giving plenty of opportunities for playtime. Presumably the only thing missing from here is the Rock n Roll?!

Pleasingly much of the area didn’t have too much litter. Even the area around the Fuck Tree.

Time for refreshments and already our sacks were getting pretty full.

Then more of the same, with some going in deep and strong (to the woods, of course). But wherever we are, there’s always some litter to be found.

Finally back to base and the stapling and display of the bags ready for collection. Another superb effort, and all credit to each and every one of our volunteers. Fifty two sacks of litter left for collection beside the road. Four more for collection elsewhere. Ten more collected over the last two weeks by two of our volunteers working independently and twelve more collected by another volunteer not long after our last group litterpick. THAT’S SEVENTY EIGHT SACKS OF LITTER!

What a great achievement!

Our next OWL litterpick is on Tuesday, 3^rd November.

 (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)

Cruising round the woods, as some of us do, and finding that despite a recent litterpick there was a lot of litter around, some of the OWLs decided to do an extra litterpick in addition to those published on the website.

And five super Owl supporters turned up. With the Covid-specific briefing, and then the health and safety briefing, over we were off on our well-established routes.

Plenty to do in the area where the Epping Forest folk have scrub-bashed one of the entrances. Not sure why they had to do that?!. (“Opening up our entrances”?!!!! Try saying it in a Kenneth Williams voice! Ooohh matron!). The effect of the scrub-bashing has been to expose litter that has been in the undergrowth for years. And shred much of it up.

We always find some unusual items. Maybe someone was into spooning? Or baking – from the look of it it could have cooked something and we don’t mean cakes!

Some good work done in this area – not a hint of litter anywhere (at the moment this pic was taken!).

Yes, we ask people not to throw their rubbish on the ground, but this is a bit extreme! (you might need to look around!)

A bit of hooting and hollering and we managed to get our volunteers back to base for refreshments (all inline with good-practice regarding Covid, including plenty of hand-sanitising)

Then on for more, moving further afield and finding the usual litter in the usual places.

We’re not really sure why, when there’s a black rubbish sack very close-by, guys still throw their sexual debris (used condoms, condom foils, lube sachets and wipes) on the ground beside it. But hey, if you get turned on by having sex while surrounded by, and sometimes treading on, other people’s discarded crap then who are we to judge?!

Plenty to do on The Mound, and of course at this time of year there is no shortage of bottles and cans. At least they get recycled!

Finally back to the car park to staple the bags so that their contents don’t escape. And then to form our traditional display at the road side. Selfridge’s window-dressers would b proud of us (ok, well maybe not!)

Another impressive (or depressing?) total number of sacks considering that it was only 10 days ago that we cleared up the same area. Seventeen sacks of general rubbish and thirteen of recyclables.

Thanks guys. You make a difference.

Our next OWL litterpick is on Tuesday, 6^th October.

 (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 OWLs give a hoot (about offensive and unnecessary litter), and we were back to work today on our third litterpick since lockdown restrictions were eased.

It’s good to be recognised and feedback from our August litterpick was that we had excelled ourselves and what we had done had made a huge difference. Nice!!

Another fine day. Another fine group of volunteers. And after the Covid-19 briefing, the rest of the Health and Safety briefing, and a healthy bit of banter, we set off in our various directions.

A key task was replacing some of the black sacks we have installed in many of the ‘hot spots’. We reckon it’s not unreasonable to expect guys, when their fun is over, to put their litter in the black sack. It’s probably easier than throwing it on the ground!

Funny what we find as we make our way through the woods emptying the rubbish sacks. Someone must have been proud that they managed to split these two cock rings (or were they just too small in the first place?!)

There’s a ‘hot spot’ we call The Gymn. So called because it has a range of facilities to allow a number of positions to be used, and from the amount of litter there it gets well-used for work-outs!

Not sure what someone used their savings for, but the money bags were empty (or was it their own savings….?).

With the sack-count increasing, due to the amount of work that was being done, it was time to take the sacks of rubbish collected so far back to the car park and enjoy a break for refreshments and a bit of a catch-up. And receive some thanks from passers-by.

Then back for more of the same with our OWLs heading off again in all directions. Strange as it might seem we like it when we’ve emptied a rubbish sack and it’s there ready for the next hot spot users to use!

Some of our group went in deep! It’s amazing, judging from the number of used condom foils, how much of the woods is used by guys to have sex. (we’re certainly not complaining).

And it’s clear that lots of guys like to have a good play in the woods – but Lego?! That’s one strange fetish isn’t it?!

Finally, time to return to the car park, staple the tops of the rubbish sacks, and put them on display at the side of the road, ready for collection by our colleagues from the City of London Corporation (which manages Epping Forest of which Snaresbrook Woods are part). And when they arrived, very nice of them to congratulate us on our efforts which they say makes a real difference.

Another impressive haul – 50 sacks of litter in total, 24 of recycling and 26 general litter (including a lot of sexual debris).

We hope our super volunteers will be back next month – along with others who would like to join in and are always welcome.

Our next OWL litterpick is on Tuesday, 6^th October.

 (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)