geraint Posted 22 February , 2018 Share Posted 22 February , 2018 Conversing with forum pal Nigelcave regarding ownership and access, suggests that the ancient regime regarding public access to the woods may have changed with the death of the proprietor. Its two years since I last trod the fields and wood. Then, a friendly wave to the tractor drivers and huntsmen was always enough to allow access deep into the woods: and dependant on the crops - allowed one to walk the killing fields of Death Valley. Nigel suggests that things may have changed. does anyone have any current information on access to the Woods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 5 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 5 March , 2018 Anyone been to the woods recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suesalter1 Posted 8 March , 2018 Share Posted 8 March , 2018 One can only hope. Only been there once while on a battlefield tour. Would love to go again sometime. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 10 March , 2018 Share Posted 10 March , 2018 I am off there week after next so will send in a report. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 10 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Look forward to hearing your report nikp! Have a good visit and pay my respect to the lads in the wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 25 March , 2018 Share Posted 25 March , 2018 Just got back. Mametz wood is still open to visitors. However there is a fair amount of timber work going on so be very careful. Two French lads working with chainsaws who weren't at all bothered. No signs or anything saying not to enter. Just treat the area with respect and I think it should be OK to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 25 March , 2018 Share Posted 25 March , 2018 A couple of pics of the wood and its interior. Timber operations in progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suesalter1 Posted 25 March , 2018 Share Posted 25 March , 2018 Brave lads going into the wood. Isn't there still unexploded shells in there? I think when we went in, we stuck close to the edge and on established paths. Great photos. Thanks for posting. Sue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 26 March , 2018 Share Posted 26 March , 2018 The timber felling has been going on in the hammerhead for some years. There's far more husbandry in French woods than ours here in the UK. It looks from the first photo pretty thoroughly thinned out now beyond the fringe. I was always under the impression that Mametz Wood is strictly private and out of bounds. That is made very clear if you approach the wood from the Contalmaison-Longueval road - indeed there is a large and impenetrable gate to the main ride, with signs stating that it is private property. There is also a similar sign at the end of the track from Contalmaison communal cemetery. A couple of years ago I noticed unauthorised scavengers had been at work on the lower strip trench area - there was a small heap of broken WW1 era mineral water bottles that had been discarded, and signs of digging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 26 March , 2018 Share Posted 26 March , 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, horrocks said: The timber felling has been going on in the hammerhead for some years. There's far more husbandry in French woods than ours here in the UK. It looks from the first photo pretty thoroughly thinned out now beyond the fringe. I was always under the impression that Mametz Wood is strictly private and out of bounds. That is made very clear if you approach the wood from the Contalmaison-Longueval road - indeed there is a large and impenetrable gate to the main ride, with signs stating that it is private property. all of the woods around our area are marked private, presumably the locals are protecting their investment. firewood is the cheapest heating fuel for the locals, we have an oil heater in one room, huille de chauffage central heating and a log burner, the bottle oil recent bargain Carrefour E19.99 (normally E29.99) for 20litres, 500 litres of huille de chauffage over E650 last year and bois de chauffage 3 steere E180, bricolage sells a steere for E65, the bois is available in Beech, Oak, Elm, Fir, Apple, Walnut etc and various lengths 45cm-90cm in 5 cm variations. I don't think its just the military connections that make woods private, just the chance they can stop locals and chancers from removing their only source of income. Edited 26 March , 2018 by chaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frajohn Posted 26 March , 2018 Share Posted 26 March , 2018 The reason that the woods are private is that they are used for hunting / shooting. During the season, which has just ended, they shoot anything that moves. Out of season they do not want the birds etc. disturbed. The rights to a large number of the woods are owned by consortiums of businessmen for which they pay quite a large sum to the actual landowner. High Wood, for example is a consortium from Paris. It used to be possible to gain permission to visit High Wood but due to the amount of illegal access this is no longer the case. The owners of Mametz Wood are kind enough to allow access to Harry Fellow's grave but do not want any other access, hence, the signs referred to in Horrock's post. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Murphy Posted 27 November , 2018 Share Posted 27 November , 2018 I was at High Wood in 2008 and went in - not too far mind! But I didn't go all that way just to stop at a gate either. Took a couple of branches as 'souvenirs'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ricard 51 Posted 28 November , 2018 Share Posted 28 November , 2018 I have to say that your apparent lack of respect for this private land is rather telling. Shame that you didn't get peppered by the local chasse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 28 November , 2018 Share Posted 28 November , 2018 With proper husbandry of the wood , looks as if you could be in for a big surprise. - all that wretched junk and Welsh nationalistic crap may have beeN removed. Last time I visited the hammer head it looked an unloved disgrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ricard 51 Posted 29 November , 2018 Share Posted 29 November , 2018 I do wish that more visitors to all of these historic sites would simply either salute, respectfully bow heads or rest on arms reversed and quietly walk away. No need to leave so many wreaths, pictures, croses, footballs, scarves etc that quite simply end up littering the land. Less is definately more l think. Just saying...and as for that area of car boot detritus behind the windmill... well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ricard 51 Posted 29 November , 2018 Share Posted 29 November , 2018 (edited) Sorry, typo... crosses. Une autre faute de frappe... should read "definitely". My english spelling fails me! Edited 29 November , 2018 by Ricard 51 Wrong spellings used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHeinsen Posted 8 January , 2019 Share Posted 8 January , 2019 On 05/03/2018 at 13:43, geraint said: Anyone been to the woods recently? I was there in Nov 2018 but it was in the early morning. I didn't see anyone. The field was quite muddy and hard to traverse. I couldn't believe a video I saw of a guy scraping down six inches in front of the treeline and finding rounds, buttons and badges. For as much that's been said NOT doing such things, it sure was tempting. I've never had any direct problem with a property owner (although I do worry about it) and even got the help of a hunter and farmer when I got stuck in the mud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ricard 51 Posted 8 January , 2019 Share Posted 8 January , 2019 Faire attention.... I am that hunter and that was my land. ..Please ensure that you are not tempted to scrape, dig or otherwise search for any objects in the wood or on the ground in case you are mistaken for a sanglier. If you please, all that is asked is respect for our fields. Merci. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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