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 

steaks 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. 

Glasshouses verge and Breaks Fold Farm update : 13-09-2026

Due to the blog editor being otherwise engaged for the coming two Tuesdays there will be no NCV blog now until 23rd September. 

However - to make sure we don't have too many things to report on then, I am publishing a short entry to update you on what has gone on during the last few days in the world of Nidderdale volunteering.

First up - Wednesday 9th September.....

A Wallers' Update 

by Graham 

Lovely weather for most of the day; very pleasant walling conditions for the team at Breaks Fold Farm.  While Barry continued to work on "his gap"  adding another couple of courses,  Rod and Graham had spotted a slight imperfection/dip in last time's walling so removed some ten yards of toppers before adding improvements and retopping.  

Barry's job for the day (again)

Last time's wall slightly reengineered

They then joined the remainder of the team, levelling the rest of the wall and topping out. 

Nearly finished 

By 2pm,  the wall, up to Barry's gap, was complete.  The photos don't show the amount of effort that had gone into getting to that stage. At this point Graham, Barry and Rod went to meet Liz to look at a couple of likely walling locations and everyone else tidied up the site. We like to feel we are a neat and tidy group!

Then, on Thursday 9th September.....

...a very small group from the Rights of Way team joined Liz in order to finish cutting down a swathe of thistles and nettles that had been left alongside the bridleway, on the Glasshouses verge. 

This is what still remained to be 

cut after the verge was visited 

two weeks ago.

Liz got busy with the strimmer...

...and Amy and Ros got to work

with the rake and pitch fork.

The cut vegetation was

loaded into the trailer...

...and dumped onto the 

'sacrificial pile'.

And now, after some seed sowing,

the verge is pristine.