"A hidden treasure"
March 2013
Occupying a tranquil spot behind Sidmouth town centre, the Byes is a haven for wildlife and families alike, and recent regeneration has seen its popularity grow.
words by Aileen Shackell
“Granny, the
tree spoke to me!…….”
said Mia Choules (7), as she got ready
to go home after a happy time kicking through leaves carpeting the ground in
The Byes. Childhood memories are made of moments such as these and no doubt Mia
and her brother Finn (2 ) will look back with affection at the many times they
spent with their granny in one of Sidmouth’s loveliest open spaces.
If you're
not familiar with the site, The Byes is a tranquil riverside park between
Sidford and Sidmouth town centre. Many visitors to Sidmouth don't realise this
hidden treasure exists, just ten minutes walk from the beach. All sorts of
wildlife can be seen there, from kingfishers and dippers, to deer, and even
otters and water voles. There are few formal play facilities, instead, the
natural environment provides a wealth of opportunities for young folk to
develop their imagination (like Mia and her talking trees) as well as learn
practical skills such as river-dipping and tree-climbing.
However although
a popular and well-used space, The Byes were beginning to suffer from the
reduction in resources being experienced by councils across the country. Despite
the site increasing in size too (Sid Meadow was brought into The Byes in 2009)
there had been no corresponding increase in maintenance budgets. Michael
Horsnell, co-ordinator of ‘Friends of The Byes’, explained: “We knew that the council were doing their
best with limited resources but we could see that The Byes needed extra help,
and we decided to focus on improving the site for wildlife, especially bees and
butterflies, and also make it an even nicer place to visit”.
So during
spring and summer 2012 a range of improvements were carried out, with funding
secured from the Groundwork ‘Community Spaces’ Programme and with ‘Friends of
The Byes’ over-seeing the implementation.
The group has now taken on aspects of the long-term maintenance, working
closely with East Devon District Council which has supported the project from the
outset.
What was involved?
Perhaps
the most popular items have been the simplest: new handmade seats in local oak,
to encourage people to linger and enjoy the views, and interpretation boards at
entrances, encouraging exploration of un-familiar routes – and a colourful
flowering meadow, which became the talk of Sidmouth.
Two tree-planting
projects were also implemented: a new ‘Jubilee Wood’, with funding from the
Woodland Trust, and a Community Orchard. Sixty fruit trees will soon provide
free fruit for local residents and visitors who will be able to pick their own
apple or plum, straight from the tree.
A visitor’s view
The Byes has
something to offer for everyone, but it’s especially popular with families. Chatting with visitors, a
common theme emerged: getting out into the natural environment is just so much more fun than visiting a ‘play
area’ where creative, imaginative play is rarely an option. Who needs a play
area when they have the richness and variety of The Byes to explore?
Ian and Jan Walker live next to The Byes and they often bring their
children there. “We used to live in
Colyton, it’s lovely there but it was such a faff to go anywhere with the kids,
loading up bikes in the car was a real nuisance! Now we just set off on foot,
two minutes later we’re in The Byes, the kids can cycle for miles if they want”.
And with perfect timing, Edward (8) set off at high speed into the distance on
his scooter, scattering leaves as he went.
‘The great thing about The Byes
is that it feels safe, and the children can go off and do their own thing.
There are lots of little hiding places and they feel as though they’re in their
own world - but we know exactly where they are – just around the corner. And
they absolutely loved all the new flowers in the meadow this summer’. (Jan)
Judy Payne often takes grandchildren
Mia (5) and Finn (2) to The Byes when they come to stay for the weekend. “I’ve lived in Sidmouth for a long time –
almost 30 years – and we’ve always used The Byes; first of all as a dog-walker;
then bringing my own children – now the grandchildren. I like the free
entertainment you get here: nothing to spend money on and endless amusement!
Who’d have thought kicking through leaves could be so much fun?”
We’ll leave the last words to the Holland
The look of intense concentration on
Emily’s face as she watched them make
their perilous way through the water is
replaced each time with a broad smile as
granddad Chris returns them to her for another go.
As Becky said ‘I think this game could go on for a while……we might just take a break
for lunch and come back later!’
Somehow, I think Emily will be back
in The Byes…….again, and again.
For more
information on The Byes project contact landscape architect Aileen Shackell via her website at www.asa-landscape.com or on 01308 424
077.The Friends of The Byes can be
contacted at fotbyes@gmail.com
The Byes
are close to the main bus route via Sidbury into Sidmouth (numbers 52A and 52B)
and there are dedicated cycle paths throughout the site. Car parking is freely
available in the town centre, as well as on surrounding residential streets.
Aileen Shackell runs her own landscape design practice from west Dorset. As well as having specialist expertise in designing for Play and for Health and Well-being, the practice also prepares Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments for those making planning applications in rural areas.
Landscape design, playground design, garden design, outdoor space design | Aileen Shackell Associates Limited
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