A day at Bivouac and Druid’s Temple 18-9-2012

What a wonderful day!  The sun shone brightly and the views were spectacular, we could see Roseberry Topping clearly in the distance.   A record number of volunteers turned out, we made double figures, eleven including our leader.

We were asked to clear the pathways through the woods to the wooden shacks.  Only a little light pruning was needed to prevent visitors from wounding themselves on overhanging branches when stumbling back to their accommodation in the dark.  A few of us did however spend some time removing a long length of chicken wire fencing which was way past its sell buy date and of no use what so ever in keeping the rabbits out or in!

Lunch was a very pleasant hour, or so, at Druid’s Temple basking in the sun and eating flap jack (thanks Audrey) and drinking tea and coffee kindly supplied by the Bivouac café.  The luxury of the day had to be access to proper loos with soap and posh hand cream.  No ducking behind a bush today!

The afternoon was spent in the wood above Druid’s Temple tidying up the stumps left in the footpath after the trees had been felled to create the said footpath.  Least said……..

We have a number of keen birdwatchers in our group and I have it on good authority that blue tits, long-tailed tits, swallows, chiffchaffs, 12 crossbills and  a siskins were seen or heard in the wood.  Some interesting fungi have begun to pop up, but we were unable to identify them with confidence.  Best  left to the experts.

Midges were in abundance and no amount of insect repellent would deter  them.

Even more luxury- the day ended drinking more tea and coffee in the garden of The  Bivouac cafe overlooking the Swinton Estate in the best of company.

Anita