Millenium Green: 27-10-2026

Dark days ahead

As the clocks all had to be turned back an hour on Sunday, during the second named storm of the season within 2 days, the NCVs needed a bit of a lift to help see them through the dark days ahead. The promise of Halloween celebrations at the end of the week didn't quite cut the mustard for most of them, so they were wondering if Liz could offer anything to alleviate the thoughts about the forthcoming winter darkness.

Luckily she could. Her email promised a day of brightness for everyone to enjoy. One of fresh air, exercise, useful work and,  of course, camaraderie and fun. The task? A visit to Millenium Green in order to give the willow tunnels their annual weaving and haircut. A nice easy site to get to, with good views of the River Nidd. Even the weather played ball  - at first......

Upon arrival it was clear what 

needed doing. A good 10 foot of 

regrowth off the main tunnel

for a start.

And the little 'bower' was

 looking decidedly sad. 

As for the Caterpillar - 

well that was collapsing 

and in need of removal.

Even the 'garden' needed

 a good old tidy.

A large team started work 

on the main tunnel. They 

found it hard to know where to begin!

A second team focused on the 

caterpillar which was never 

going to change into a butterfly.

It wasn't just a case of cutting

it down to ground level.

Weed suppressant needed lifting...

...and willow roots needed digging out.

Then of course all the brash

needed collecting and piling.

Time for coffee!

It was at this point that the weather

started to let itself down. 

Looking upwards to cut high

willow with rain falling 

relentlessly was not ideal!

However - it was Liz's birthday 

and her cakes ensured that 

morale remained high.

Thanks Liz - and Happy Birthday!!!

Now - back to work.

At the main willow tunnel

progress was steady but far from easy.

The high stems were extremely difficult 

to reach. A ladder and high level loppers

were needed.

The bower was turned into a hurdle

which looked much better, especially

when the sun shone for a few minutes.

The area was strimmed to get rid of brambles.

The team that were working in

 the garden did an excellent job 

of making it look loved.

By close of play even the main 

tunnel was looking much better.

 Well done NCVS!

When Liz got back to the barn

she had to light the wood stove 

to try and dry everything out. 

Poor Liz. What a birthday activity!!!!

The small team of ROW workers, who went out last Thursday, under Adam and Joe's supervision, also need a shout out. They were working along the footpath 'Tinkler's Lane', near Burnt Yates, clearing large quantities of encroaching vegetation. 

Here they are - happy in their work.....

Unsatisfied fiddling around with

small twigs, Alistair looked behind

and saw there were bigger fish to fry.

"Hope I was meant to cut this down Joe....."

The answer was yes, but it then

led to another job for Friedy.

Eventually the path was clear

and the team could go home.

St Cuthbert's Churchyard: 20-10-2026

 

Fettles to the fore.

According to Liz, St Cuthbert's Churchyard needed some 'fettling'. as you can see from the 'before' pictures below.

The grass needed a haircut

Some of the gravestones required clearing

of ivy or overhanging branches. 

The laurel hedge we cut down a 

couple of years ago has had the 

audacity to start sprouting again 

and needed putting in its place.

So - once everyone had arrived, we picked up our newly purchased fettles and surged into action. 

Some worked up high,

others worked down low.

Liz got to work with 

the strimmer.

This area needed the attention

of lots of NCVs.

Other jobs were found to be in need of doing as the day went on.

Any epicormic growth at 

the base of trees needed removing.

One or two gravestones 

needed a scrub

to remove the moss.

And, of course, brash piles

 had to be made with all 

the unwanted veg.

With a flick of a switch the 

 new, versatile,  multifunctional fettle

 tools could be turned into hay rakes 

and pitch forks to help with this.

These needed to be crushed down

by those willing to climb the heaps.

There was a good deal of fun 

and frivolity in the graveyard!!

Coffee and lunchtimes were

held inside the church.

Helena provided tasty biscuits for 

coffee break and Graham's wife, 

Jane, had baked delicious 

scones for lunch. 

(Thanks both!!!)

The turkeys from next 

door kept us entertained

with their loud gobbling!

By the end of the task everywhere looked in fine fettle - as you can see below.

All that remained was for the NCVs to put away their multifunctional fettles and beetle off home.

Hackfall Woods: 13-10-2026

 

When the email came around telling the gang that they would be working in Hackfall Woods they were unsure what to expect. It was just down as Woodland Management - which covers a whole host of possibilities. They just had to turn up and see what was needed on a normal 'Hackfall Wood Round'.

So - what was in store for the NCVs? Let's see shall we?

First job was down at

Fountains Pond, clearing

the willow trees growing om the 

central island...

...and checking the fountain mechanism.

This worked perfectly at this 

end, but not at the pump on the far

side of the pond.

Paul and Brenda worked 

to cut the trees down and

pass the vegetation across to Ros

and Liz to brash pile on the 'mainland'.

Now that looks better.

Any tall trees you can see

are growing on the far 

side of the pond.

Meanwhile the rest of the group 

were clearing encroaching 

vegetation around the Rustic Temple.

This took until coffeetime with

 Paul's excellent apple cake.

Thanks Paul!!

Will had bench envy when everyone 

took their seats.

Then it was off to Alum Springs

stopping to clear a culvert 

en route.

The rate the leaves are

 falling it will probably be

 full again by tomorrow!

Down at Alum Springs the cascades 

were full of broken branches.

These were cleared and

brash piled in short order...

...then it was onwards 

to Mowbray Castle...

....for more vegetation

clearance. 

Ken deployed his favourite 

tool - a pair of shears - 

both inside and outside

the castle.

The rest used loppers and

bow saws to clear the vista

across to Masham Church,

which was all but invisible.

That's looking better Paul.

Will preferred the 

sitting down position.

Ah - NOW you can see the view!

After a lunch in the sunshine

the gang backtracked 

and then carried on to the 

Grewelthorpe Pond, past 

this lovely veteran beech.

Working their way back to the car park, 

trimming overhanging holly

as they went, they were confronted with 

a mess left over by contractors

who had cleared the path of a fallen branch.

Luckily they all had just enough

energy to tidy it up before 

heading off to the car park.

Update from the ROW team

Last Thursday a team of 4 joined Adam, the NY footpath officer, at Low Waite Farm, high above Pateley Bridge, to finish off installing that gate they started work on two weeks before. Here's how they got on....

This was how they left things 

the last time they visited.

Below those fences there were deep 

holes filled with large rocks to stop

hedgehogs falling down.

Gradually, gate posts were inserted, 

the gate attached 

 and postcrete thrown in.

Once it was set, the holes at the

base were filled and the 

gate could be tested.

Now the walling group can sort

out the wall on each side.

Two other deep holes had to be 

dug to allow the insertion

of these two way markers.

Amy's tasty apple cake kept us all going.

Thanks Amy!

The original idea was for this permissive

 path to continue downhill straight 

through the middle of this fallen rowan.

However - once tree verifier Ros

saw it was an ancient tree...

...with spectacular aerial roots snaking

 down the inside of the completely 

hollow trunk to the root plate,

it was decided to take the path

 above and around the ends of the fallen

 crown which is still alive.

A couple of stems have rooted and

are growing vertically as phoenix trees.