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Strange sunken line in the grass

beer enigma

Not 100% sure this is a gardening question, but thought I'd start here in case anyone had seen similar

Around November last year after the last cut of the season, this curved line appeared in the grass. At first I thought maybe a cat had walked and left an impression, but after a good few cuts this year, its still there. On closer inspection, its actually sunk below the grass level.

It starts and ends between an old concrete path which goes down about 10 inches and a garden bed, close to a wall and there are no drains or pipes on that side of the garden.

I'm wondering could it be mole tunnel thats collapsed maybe ? just wondered if anyone has seen aything similar

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Mickeroo

Are you in the UK? there's no moles in Ireland (if I'm not mistaken)

An old pipe or conduit collapsing maybe? I would try carefully digging up a small part of it and see.

The Continental Op

Looks to me like an animal run (path/track). Foxes, badgers and rabbits will follow the same path. If you cut your grass more often it will disappear.

beer enigma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124554354#Comment_124554354

I'm Ireland, originally UK and I remember something oddly similar from there - hadn't realise there were no moles over here.

I laid the lawn 27 years ago so I know there's defienitely no pipes or conduits under it. Part of the reason I haven't dug yet is that if it's some small fella's escape route, I don't want to wreck it & its doing no harm other than wrecking my head 😀

Mickeroo

Might be worth getting a cheap wildlife camera with a motion censor and stick it out over night, maybe it's a regular path for a hedgehog or something. Is there any obvious way in and out of the garden at either end of it?

beer enigma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124554378#Comment_124554378

Thats an idea - its been there since November and I cut the grass every week, I guess I could fill with soil and let the grass regrow through, but its becoming a bit of garden Poirot mystery at the moment. No sign of animal droppings.

And no, one end is the sold path which as I say goes down about 10 inches, its an old solid one - the other end stops where it meets the bed and thats 2 ft from the foundations of a solid wall. I maintain that bed really well as it's got an rose that belonged to my late Mum, so I'd see any signed of digging or foot prints

looksee

Looks like a path to me. Put a little layer of sand in it in one spot and see if you get footprints.

beer enigma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124554429#Comment_124554429

thats a super idea

Gland

Whatever you do, sand, cameras, or whatever, do it quickly and let us know - the suspense is killing me already.

tampopo

Foxes. We have one too.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555623#Comment_124555623

Was just gonna say there's a lawn I cut regularly that has a very similar pathway and that's definitely a fox. They follow the exact same route for some reason.

The Continental Op

Instead of getting a trail camera or spreading sand the easy option is to check first thing to see if the dew has been knocked off the track by an animal. You can also check at night with a torch.

I do this quite often to check if there really is something out there when our Jack Russell starts barking in the house. Point to the dog if I can see where something has been across the grass from the dew being knocked off but mostly nothing.

Economics101

This is very like one we have, which is definitely a fox's path, as we have spotted the odd one.

billyhead

Agree about a fox. My mum has the same issue. They always take the same route.

beer enigma

We do have fox in the garden, it's just a strange path to take as it leads nowhere....maybe it's a talking heads fan. I've put sand down so I'll have a look in the morning

The Royal Scam

I literally have a identical line in my front and back gardens. For me it is created by my 3 cats and all the other neighborhood cats that use my garden as a "cat run". On line is straight but the back garden one has lovely windy bends and the cats follow it regardless when I cut the grass. I live in rural Carlow and I have never seen a fox in 21yrs down here.

beer enigma

Nothing in the sand this morning, not even a castle.... I'll persevere

Mickeroo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124556973#Comment_124556973

Good luck, we're all counting on you.

Seth Brundle

Just checking, does the trail lead under your garden room? 😎

beer enigma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124557123#Comment_124557123

Nope it's about 100ft from the patio

beer enigma

I'll cut the grass tomorrow, new dramatic pictures 🤣

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124558205#Comment_124558205

Sorry - thinking back to a legendary thread on here...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057876630/something-is-burrowing-in-my-shed

Barbie2k23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124556158#Comment_124556158

Well u haven’t been in Carlow town late at night cause foxes do be around the town late at night the whole time

looksee

There's the reason! All the rural foxes have become urban foxes, its safer from hunting and more food available.

BorneTobyWilde

Hedgehog tracks clearly

beer enigma

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559354#Comment_124559354

its too wide and deep for a hedgehog, plus abslotely no sign of hedgie poo

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559974#Comment_124559974

I'm not even sure hedgehogs follow any regular route. If you ever get a chance to watch one at night they will probably wander around in seemingly random directions.

Could a cat follow the path if it jumped up on something at the far end?

LeoD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124558280#Comment_124558280

I've just read all that thread. I was tempted to jump to the end after page 2 but hoped the story and tension would build towards an amazing grand finale. What a disappointment - thanks…

standardg60

Was back in the garden today with the fox path I mentioned earlier. Was more obvious before I cut the grass but still visible.

Btw foxes are more than capable of clearing walls and fences of at least 2mtrs high so they're never a road to nowhere. This garden is completely walled in.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124560550#Comment_124560550

Yes, same here! Very disappointing but it was quite funny in parts.

beer enigma

Haven't been able to cut the grass since last week due to the delicious Cork weather.

No footprints in the sand yet, but I measured the it and the 'line' is actually 2cm lower than the surrounding grass - not sure the weight of a fox would cause a depression like that, unless it a very overweight fox, in which case I'd imagine the fox is depressed as well.