Aerator

I had a simular problem with my lawn, so I went over it with a garden fork, pushing the forks in about 8 inches and pulling it back a little to create a void under the turf, I then spread some sharpe sand over the holes and brushed it in the holes, I did this in autumn. I did this for 3 years in a row and put down a seed dressing, the lawn looks great now, all our area is solid clay as well.

You can hire a good size lawn spiker, best with hollow tines. Brush in John Innes compost no. 3 after cleaning up soil from spiking.

Once upon a time we had a lawn and we were also mountaineers. This meant that we had crampons to aid climbing on ice. So we used to fit the crampons on our feet and walk over the lawn to aerate it! It worked very well.

All great ideas, thanks. I'm afraid the lawn is just to compacted for a lawn spiker. I do go over parts of the lawn with the fork and wiggle it around somewhat. It is such a big area I find it really hard. I just need to find a friend who has some crampons who wouldn't mind jumping all over my lawn.

Each year I think I will do a little at a time and before I know it the leaves start to fall and I've run out of time. I'm silly because I always start on the lawn by my favourite part of the garden, the kitchen garden. I guess it's because it's the lawn I see for most of the year!

i did exactly the same as Phil 1956 over the same number of years and my lawn is looking lovely i am on clay siol as well, its hard work and will take a few years but worth it. good luck !