Summer Walk: 30-06-2026

 

A nice day off!

The NCVs were in a buoyant mood this week. Why wouldn't they be? It was the day of the summer walk and a picnic was being provided. What's not to like?

Last week they had made a start on Himalayan balsam removal (yes - it is that time of year again) - clearing plants from the Summerstones estate down towards Limley Farm in extremely hot conditions. Ice creams were purchased at How Stean Gorge to help cool the workers down.

The plants were poking out 

of all kinds of places...

...but they were rooted out and crushed.

Nick realised (it was his first experience 

of HBP) that NCVs needed to be 

mountain goats!

Luckily there was some shade from 

the intense heat at coffeetime.

However, this week Tim had planned an excellent walk in the Timble area and Liz had provided the wonderful lunchtime repast with the help of the Nidd Way catering company.

The 4.5 mile circular walk from

Timble Inn went below Swunsty Reservoir , 

via Dob Bridge and Low Snowdon.

Here are some pics of the day out....

In the absence of a starting

pistol Tim just shouted

'Ready, Steady, Go!'

And they were off - stopping 

now and again to make sure

 no-one was left behind.

Stiles slowed the flow....

...on more than one occasion.

The views all along the 

way were lovely.

There were many hay meadows

to wander through...

...one of which was full of orchids.

There were  woodlands to give shade...

...and Dob Bridge to sit on 

at coffee time.

This gave Anita an opportunity

to have a good old root around

to see what was in her picnic bag.

A handy tree provided some much 

needed shade for lunchtime, when 

Liz provided bite cream for Ken who 

had been attacked by a horse fly.

One or two vols took a little diversion 

to photograph one of the many cup 

and ring marked stones nearby.

A bronze age dart board?

They couldn't find the 'Tree of Life' stone

which, apparently, looks like this.

Very impressive!

A trio of cows were waiting to

 cheer us at the end of the walk...

...where a new style fingerpost showed us

 the way we had come.

 Mick was congratulated when it was reported that he had completed his 26.5 mile marathon hike on Saturday. He and his 16 friends  have raised over £17,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support - a staggering result! (And a staggering team by the end, given the heat they were walking in!!!)

Well done Mick!!!!!

Whilst the NCVs were battling with balsam in the heat, the walling group were working hard elsewhere last week - as Graham reports below:

WALLERS' UPDATE

Opting for the scenic route to Thruscross on the finest of summer mornings, Rod & Barry travelled via Summerbridge and Dacre Top and were rewarded by excellent visibility along Dacre Lane across the undulating catchment of Darley Beck, the smell of newly mown silage in our nostrils. Pausing at the field gate close to our wall to unload some gear, a snipe stood obligingly on the wall a few metres ahead of us, unperturbed and allowing a fine view. 

Two lapwings then descended in the field in our line of view, and then a meadow pipit.  All eventually taking flight, a curlew then flew over as we set down the gear. Having booted up, five snipe then noisily circled overhead, and later, a pair of even noisier oyster catchers came past. A great start to the day’s work.

At that point, new waller Wayne, and Graham arrived for what was going to be the hottest walling day ever, circa 28 degrees. (32 degrees plus in Harrogate)     The heat did not stop the walling, albeit at a slower pace than usual and by the end of day another three courses had been added.  

Despite the heat it was a lovely moorland day with the sound of.curlews and lapwings constantly in the background.  However, the temperature persuaded us to take an early finish and at 2pm we departed.

Breaks Fold Farm: 17-06-2026

 

Wallers' Update

by Barry

There was an nautical theme to absences this week with Graham on a sea cruise, Duncan sailing between Greek islands, and Rob singing sea shanties in a West Country fishing village.

On dry Yorkshire land,4 other wallers, plus new recruit James, arrived in good time for this season’s work at Breaks Fold Farm. Skylarks were in good voice, and two pairs of Curlews in nearby fields were scrambled to ward off red kites and a sparrowhawk - a hopeful sign of breeding attempts.

Dismantling the first stretch of wall revealed the usual mixture of stone, some good and a lot much less so. A productive morning saw the foundations in place as we broke for lunch...

... and two more courses were laid by the 3pm finish, so a satisfying session accomplished without resort to rousing motivational song (by us anyway - the skylark’s was much appreciated).

Washburn Heritage Centre: 16-06-2026

The Washburn Heritage Centre has been the venue for the Nidderdale wallers in recent times, but this week it was the NCVs who were tasked with installing a wall. Not of stone, but of brash, in order to guide visitors up to the centre from the Swinsty Reservoir footpath.

Now - as all regular blog readers know, the NCVs are rather expert at constructing quality dead hedges - not quite as long lasting as the stone walls created by the wallers, but robust enough.

And here they are to prove this very fact....

Before starting work everyone 

went to have a look at the Washburn 

Centre itself, which was built in 2009.

The church next to it

is very much older... 

 ... dating back to the 1400s.

The NCVs set off down the footpath 

to the reservoir  where they 

could see areas that needed  attention.

Work began to 

make the way clear.

Holly, sycamore branches and

 dead wood were harvested...

...stout poles for stakes were cut....

...and soon a well edged

 path was being established.

At coffee time the gang 

could all sit sociably together.

At lunchtime, higher up the hill, 

everyone was more spread out.

Work continued, up...

... and up.

Until, finally, time was called...

...and the hedge was done.

Additionally, a dead wood barrier was 

created at the bottom end to prevent

 visitors going off piste altogether.

Please note that there will be no NCV blog next week as the editor is having a holiday in a place far from internet access. But never fear! There will be a double edition at the start of July. 

Day Ash Farm: 09-06-2026

Back to holly removal.

Every now and again the NCVs visit Day Ash farm and this week was one of those times. There were two jobs to do, but the main focus was on halo coppicing the holly around the other trees within the woodland and dead hedging the brash to demarcate the footpath.

There was also some way-marking needed here and there along the footpath to help walkers avoid losing their way.

Let's see the NCVs at play as they worked solidly through a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers......

We were greeted by three stars of the 

TV programme 'All Creatures Great 

and Small." Gorgeous!!! 

Here's what was remaining from the large 

dead hedge created last year. 

Soon everyone was cutting down holly

trees or lifting the crown of others

so that Andy could get in with his chain saw.

As it was cut it was dragged away...

...to be processed and inserted 

into the old hedge line.

Stake man Osian sharpened 

a pile of poles...

...to be used in the hedge 

to keep it under control.

There was sunshine and showers

throughout the day.

Coffeetime sun...

...and lunchtime rain.

Andy C provided the energy boost at

coffeetime - thanks Andy!!!

And Olivia broke out her 

birthday cake which took the edge off

the lunchtime deluge.

Happy Birthday Olivia!!!

Having got this side up to

 scratch by lunchtime...

...we moved to the opposite side of the 

path in the afternoon and got

 this much done.

Andy C was able to speed things

up with his chainsaw.

Half of the group was busy down at 

the other side of the wood building

 a very large brash pile.

By close of play there was a 

big change in the view of the wood.

When quitting time was called

Everyone walked past the 

three new waymarkers that 

Osian, Mick and Andy installed

first thing. All they need now is

 their tops painting.

ROW task: 4th June 2026 

Last Thursday a small ROW team donned their waterproofs and went out to clear a footpath from Aldfield village down to Aldfield spa. Apparently a member of the public had reported a tree that had fallen across the path and encroaching vegetation. Here is what we found.....

This was the offending tree.

But offending no longer!

This hazel was on the droopy side.

But not for long!

The pendulous sedge was just one

of many plants trying to take over the footpath.

However - with a great deal of 

slasher wielding...

...the path became far more benign

for the walkers.