Wallers' Update: 30-09-2026

 

Wallers' Update

by Graham

As this week's walling news was quite lengthy I have decided to give them a blog entry all to themselves, so - take it away Graham!!!!

We've left Breaks Fold farm for the time being and moved onto a project at Low Waite farm on the Eagle Hall road near Pateley Bridge.  

An existing gate for walkers needs replacing but the new gate, because of "rules" has to be placed 50 metres away. The footpath team have knocked down a bit of wall to install the new gate and we are to build a wall where the original gate was and make good in between. With a road on one side and a slope on the other, we knew this was going to be hard work.

The new gate is going here -

 courtesy of the footpath team

The new gate gap from the road

In addition, Liz suggested steps adjacent to the gate would be very useful and, in terms of stone supplies, there was a pile behind the farmhouse amongst the nettles which would need sorting and moving. And before we started work it began to drizzle and continued until after coffee break!

However the 5 strong team got stuck in.

Dave and Duncan spent much of the morning sorting the stone pile. Unfortunately there are no photos to show off their hard work.  It is hoped to move much of the sorted stone next week using Liz's trailer.

Rod and Andy set about creating some steps. These photos, however, don't do justice to the size of some of the stones which had to be dug and levered out of the ground, nor the quality of the final result and the back braking effort involved. 

Andy looks at the second of the two 

large stones to be levered out.

Rod shows off Andy's 

(and his) hard work.

Midday, and Rod and Andy have

 created a base for the steps.

The site from the road at midday.

Step task completed

After lunch Dave and Duncan joined Graham doing  partial rebuilding where needed, and a little while later Andy came to do the same. Much of the wall is a retaining wall and relatively solid when touched but unstable when disturbed. We like disturbing walls! After Breaks Fold Farm which was a straightforward project this one is less so. 

A bit of a mess!

Same mess, but Duncan and 

Dave are dealing with it.

Andy moves on from steps 

and starts some dismantling.

Requires some expert 

rebuilding next week.

A lovely afternoon emerged, by which time we were all worn out. We look forward to next week, when with a new gate installed, we can get a clearer view on how to proceed. All in all, we were pleased with the day's work

Laver Banks: 29-09-2026

 Where's the best interest rate?

This week the NCVs were visiting the banks.

No - they weren't trying to decide where to get the best interest on their savings. They were once again working at Laver Banks - somewhere there is always plenty of interest for outdoor folk. This week they were working on the opposite side of the river to last week, coppicing or clearing the brash left by a tree surgeon.

You know the score - cut, drag and pile!

On arrival, the view from the 

bridge was not for the faint hearted.

The view from 

down amongst it all

was even worse.

Ok folks, let's get started.

Clear the floor first maybe, 

and put it over here?

Regular calls for Osian to 

make some more brash pile 

stakes kept him well employed.

Not everyone wanted to wait 

to generate yet more brash!

Oh heck! Liz had got her 

chain saw out. Now the brash 

was going to pile up!!!

And pile up it did.

So much so that Dawn...

...and Paul needed to do some 

pile jumping to knock it down to size.

Meanwhile Brenda was 

patiently clearing the 

bridge edges of grasses.

This meant that there was plenty

 of seating choice at break times.

Andrew was very pleased with 

his nicely woven brash pile.

This one ended up quite

an impressive length.

By 1:30 the job was done.

What a difference 4 hours makes

when the NCVs are involved!!!!

Last Thursday (24th Sept.) 2 NCVs put on their 'Rights of Way' heads and headed off to Low Thwaite Farm to help Adam, the North Yorks footpath officer, install a new path gate.

First up, a gate size length of wall needed removing. Amy and Alistair seemed happy

doing that.

Once the wall was down there were two big holes to dig for these two huge gate posts. NOT so easy! This is where they got to by home time. A task o be continued!!!

Wallers' Update-

by Barry

Having cancelled a day’s walling three weeks ago due to a grim weather forecast which then proved inaccurate, we chose to ignore the prospect of a morning of heavy showers and met as usual. Seven of us did need fleeces to fend off the light showers until coffee time, but thereafter sunny intervals lengthened as the day progressed and gave very pleasant conditions as we finally completed the working stints at Breaks Fold Farm, finally topping off by 2.30pm. 

Now - that's what I call a well topped wall!

Well done wallers.

Now you can move on to a new job!

Three surprises brought amusement: as we sat having lunch a stoat made its way along an adjoining wall and disappeared through it; also over lunch seven Harrogate Ramblers came past and paused for a chat and appreciative comments; and then after lunch Graham called by with his wife Ann, returning from a short stay in Cumbria, and proudly showed her the very productive results of three months at Breaks Fold Farm.

Nought Moor and Laver Banks: 15th and 21nd September

Liz cracks the whip

The blog editor may have been otherwise engaged for two Tuesdays on the run, but Liz cracked the whip nevertheless and the NCVs were put to work in two locations doing two similar jobs.

On Tuesday 15th September they were high up above Pateley Bridge  on Nought moor, back on the job of removing encroaching birch from the SSI moorland. As you can see - they made a difference to the area.

The lake in the car park

was an indication that the heat 

waves were long gone.

Yes - definitely a hair cut needed!

At lunchtime Liz found that her 

sandwich filling had been pinched.

Where have all those 

birch trees gone?

Into this high quality brash pile!

Yesterday (21st September) ... (From Osian)

On a very warm and sweaty day 9 intrepid NCVs ventured deep down into the woods at Laver Banks for a day's coppicing. 

The goal for the day was to remove mainly new hazel growth so that walkers and horse riders could enjoy the views of the historic Fountains Abbey estate stone bridge. 

Trust me - it's there!

By coffeetime the first hint of the bridge view started to appear above a habitat pile that was taller than Dawn.

The break was enjoyed in the sun for some, or in the shade for those already too hot from their labours. Veteran NCV Graham made an appearance on his 85th birthday and brought cake to celebrate.

Thank you Graham - and a VERY HAPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

By lunchtime the team had coppiced away a great view of the bridge. All that was then needed was a short stint to clear the river of some trees that had been felled by the landowner's woodman.

Hot and bothered the NCVs called it a day and set off home. They will return in the near future for more coppicing in this area. The birthday boy and a couple of others enjoyed a chauffeured return to their cars, Graham giving a royal wave to the camera as they drove past!!

And finally.....

A Wallers' Update 

- by Graham

Another nearly excellent day at Breaks Fold Farm with just a couple of light showers. With only another week to go before we go to pastures new, another gap was tackled. This took us to a dilapidated wall on the right, a marker which at the start of this year's programme seemed a long way away. By the end of next week, we will have completed  a rebuild of some 65 yards of wall over a period of twelve visits. 

This week we had five of us. Barry and Rob were continuing on "Barry's extended gap.

 Rob tackles Barry's extended gap...

...and Barry helped from the other side.

Ready for completion next week

Meanwhile Rod, Dave and Graham set about dismantling another six or seven yards of wall.  Fortunately over the last couple of weeks , some of the existing wall has been retained to varying degrees and Graham was able to rebuild on a decent base. Rod and Dave, however, were down in the mud undertaking a complete rebuild from foundations up. 

Rod and Dave getting dirty in the foundations.

And some very sound foundations they were.

By going home time, 

Rod and Dave half rebuilt 

a half decent wall

With his section of wall rebuilt as far as possible, Graham spent the afternoon tidying the stone on his side of the wall, ready for moving on next week.