On Tuesday 14th August the Société Jersiaise held their annual Scenic Lanes competition in which every parish is asked to enter a lane. The purpose of the competition is to judge the overall ambiance, mix of trees and shrubs, unusual features, wildlife, wildflowers, and the sensitivity of the branchage. The event was sponsored by Rotary Club de la Manche and the judges came from the Government of Jersey Environment Department, the Société Jersiaise, National Trust for Jersey, the Rotary Club de la Manche and U3A.
Ten parishes had entered, and the only two not submitting lanes were St Lawrence (which won last year) and St Clement (who felt Storm Ciaran had done too much damage). It was a full day of leaping in and out of the minibus and walking the lanes, but the weather was kind – not too hot nor too wet.
The parishes had entered a huge variety of lanes, from deep mysterious enclosed ones to long ones that opened up onto valleys or views of the sea. There was an increase in insect life earlier in the year, with a wasps’ nest being noted, along with many bumblebees and butterflies, which included a Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral. There were curious features to observe such as strange granite gateposts with no apparent purpose, and what appeared to be the steps of a tourelle placed upright to stop cars mounting the curb. Many carriage stones, used in earlier times for the same purpose, were still in place.
Particular attention was paid to the state of the branchage, as too close a branchage kills the wildlife, and leaves their habitats decimated. Equally, leaving too much dead mulch can make it hard for the plants to photosynthesize beneath. A mix of trees and hedges was looked for too, along with the range of wildflowers and animal life.
The team stopped at The Elms for lunch where they used the NTfJ Council Room for their lunch, and were joined by the CEO, Alan Le Maistre.
Five lanes were walked in the morning, and the last three in the afternoon. The parishes had entered such a variety of lanes with differing charms that quite a discussion took place at the end of the day. How do you rate the view of the sea behind a row of poplars, against a quirky lane with granite features and strange fungal growths? How important is the variety of flora and fauna versus the general ambience? In the end, it can only be subjective, and the team settled on La Rue de Conet which was entered by St Brelade. This had a diverse range of habitats, a thoughtfully replanted hedge, a sensitive branchage, a wonderful view over a deep valley, and more animal life than was seen in any other lane. But the main comment from the judges was about the peaceful natural countryside feel of the lane. All the lanes are well worth a visit!
Congratulations go to St Brelade! The Société will be presenting them with a plaque to celebrate their win.
The Société would like to thank the parishes that entered, and the sponsorship received from the Rotary Club De La Manche, along with the support of the National Trust for Jersey, the Environment Department, and U3A.
