Nine volunteers and Paul turned out to enjoy a sensory
experience at Hackfall.
The sight of ever increasing amounts of balsam didn’t bother
us as we set to work pulling up the pesky weed. Seeing beautiful ferns and
mosses uncovered and wonderful fungi hiding in the undergrowth emerging from
the sweet smelling leaf litter lifted our spirits. But then there was the smell of something akin to a dead
animal emanating from a Stinkhorn Phallus
impudicus, which was enough to put you off your dinner.
Stinky stinkhorn
Feeling the heavy dew soaking though your gloves was less
uncomfortable than the brambles scratching bare arms and midges nipping at your
ears. Thank heaven for “Skin so Soft”!
Ferns win out over balsam and one NCV
uses them as head protection against the midges.
The NCVs leave no fern unchecked in their quest to root out the balsam.
Hackfall is such a tranquil place to lose yourself in, not
just in the maze of paths, but in the quiet sounds of the river cascading over
rocks and the sound of birds high in the tree tops. The Chiffchaff competed with
the distant buzz of the Great British chainsaw being put to good use by Paul, clearing
the fallen trees crossing the footpaths.
Then there was the satisfying sound of balsam being twisted and stamped
on to within an inch of its life, reminiscent of sound of a tender stick of
celery being bitten into.
The lads get busy with their loppers and saws -
any excuse to avoid the alternative of pulling balsam!
It went that way!
Red campion and brambles growing from balsam laid
over a tree trunk 2 years ago - it does have its uses!
Last but not least was the delicious taste of flapjack which
Paul kindly brought along to celebrate National Volunteer Week. Thank
you Paul.
One of many balsam cairns leading us back to our picnic site.
The long trek back up the hill to the car park is always
tough, but it was made a little easier now that the path had been cleared
through the wood. Slipping and sliding
through the muddy puddles added to our sensory experience and we boiled as we
wended our weary way back to our cars in beautiful sunshine.
And so the NCVs leave the wood, secure in the
knowledge that much balsam has been vanquished.
Here endeth another day of Balsam bashing……. but there’s
more to come!
Anita
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