What a washout of a summer 2011 has been, nothing but rain, rain and more rain. Last week we had a month’s rain in one day. So it was no surprise to want to get out and about after the deluges there had been which had kept us all indoors. A trip to the local National Trust Garden was called for. Imagine my disappointment when we found the car park awash and large areas of the garden out of commission, this was not the first time we had encountered this. It was particularly upsetting as we could not even go for a cup of tea as the ground was saturated and impassable.
Later back at home the younger member of the family was decrying the fact that the event they went to see in the local park was a washout in more ways that one as the grass was waterlogged, the paths to the refreshment tents was slippery and dangerous and it was almost impossible to get to the toilets! This started me thinking of all the poor people who must have suffered this year as they tried to host an outdoor event and were at the mercy of our weather.
Lots of gardens open locally for charity and also to raise funds for their survival. I wonder how many were washed out? Summer barbeques are a great attraction, the smell of sausages and burgers cooking on charcoal goes straight to your heart and makes you start salivating. Any large scale events at schools and other organisations must have suffered this year. Who wants to turn up in their wellies?
My son and friends like to do the “Festivals” the numbers of which are on the increase. They go for the music and socialising at the campsite – certainly not for the glamping. Even these stalwarts were put off by the sea of mud round the food and drink tents and most importantly the toilet and shower areas. The whole enjoyment of the event begins to pale in the morasses of mud.
A visit to watch the end of a cycle event turned into a nightmare as the bikes came off the good road surfaces in to the park area where the finish was housed. It was soon a quagmire. The local authority would be less than pleased to see the state of their park the next day.
I could not help thinking how easy the solution to this problem would be, grass mats which could be laid in advance and then removed and reused. So now all the enjoyment of the event and none of the mess and frustration. The fantastic thing is that grass mats are made from totally recycled materials so also help the environment and they can withstand pedestrian and vehicular traffic. So let’s hear it for grass mats to beat the effects of the British summer weather!
For a range of good quality grass mats at good prices then go online and find the best ground protection available.