Category Archives: Pix and Picks

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.

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)