We arrived at Bell house in the idyllic setting of Nidderdale
to be met by Sean, the landowner of Wilson's Plantation, where we were to bash.
Douglas Adamson from Firm Friends also met us with a view to taking a few
photographs.
Just to encourage us, Sean kindly announced that he would
provide a Bar-B-Q at lunch time. Things were looking up - more food to be
sampled!
We approached the bracken to be bashed via the Nidderdale
Way, and then we saw it in all its glory- masses and masses of the stuff growing
thick and tall. What a job this was going to be. However, with the promise of
delicious sausages at the forefront of our minds we set to with a spring in our
step and a “whacking” stick in our hands.
Spot the NCVs - they are in there somewhere
- amongst the super-high bracken.
Before long we had cleared large swathes and discovered many
tree tubes that had been smothered by the fronds of the prolific bracken
plants. At 12:15pm (2 long hours after starting!) we were summoned to lunch.
Eagerly we hurried up the hill; what a delightful spot the patio was- a riot of
colourful flowers and a table set for a feast.
Terry takes a short cut up from the plantation and
bags a seat quickly before the other NCVs arrive.
Bell House garden - a perfect setting for our lunch.
Just when we thought things could not be improved our hosts
offered us beer or a glass of wine - or 2. We had to pinch ourselves to make
sure we weren’t dreaming.
Three wise monkeys await their lunch.
Paul beams with eager anticipation.
Graham and Casper take a laid back approach
and set the world to rights before they home in on the sausages.
Lunch was a convivial affair but duty began to call - or was it
the bracken? In our alcoholic haze some of us weren’t sure. We dragged
ourselves back to reality and returned to the bracken. We did wonder whether
stamping it down or rolling in it might do the trick. It looked very appealing
to lie in it, soft and squashy, and maybe no one else would notice, but just as
you got comfy there would be the thwack of a stick nearby, which was a little
disturbing!
Ros K. demonstrates a post-prandial
method of dealing with bracken -
not very effective but she's enjoying herself.
By 3pm a halt was called to the stalwarts who were still on
the attack. Walking wearily back through the bracken we could hardly believe
how much we had bashed into submission that day. Lots more to do still, but
lots and lots done- very satisfying!
We must say a huge thank you to our hosts Sean and Samantha.
They made this task very bearable with their most generous hospitality.
Ros K.
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