Return to Fishpond Wood: 30-09-2014

Eleven NCV's, six Heritage Skills students and their two Tutors arrived at The Barn on another magnificent September morning.  Today 3 tasks beckoned: 

• continuing the scrub clearance at Fishpond Wood, 
• moving the walling stone and earth mound near the car parking area at the entrance to Bewerley Park Outdoor Centre, 
• preparing/ cutting wood for making bird nesting boxes, an event being held at half term for members of the general public to construct their own bird houses. 

Will and Dave gallantly took on the heavy stone moving work, Jan instructed Ruth on the art of cutting wood for bird boxes (see photos lower down), and the rest of us set forth with the normal barrow loads of loppers, saws, spades, waders and the chain saw, leader Paul's prerogative.

The big guns are brought in to cope 

with the large tree trunks.

Suffice to say rhodies were cut down, brash piles moved and tidied, and a large  "bonfire" built with the surplus. (Well there are only so many brash piles that can occupy space away from the path and the "pond".) 

The NCVs get busy with their bow saws and loppers.

Ros K. tries to use magic to lift a branch.

Julia approaches a rhododendron with caution, 

unsure if the ground will turn out to be boggy.

Charlie and Tom hack a path through the vegetation.

Lunch was a celebratory affair as Jan had brought delicious birthday cakes to share with us (many thanks "Mrs Jan" for your contributions). Happy Birthday was beautifully sung.

[NB Thanks must also go to Julia for providing the coffee time cake.]

The NCVs take a welcome break.

Jan did some fraction work in order to share out his two birthday cakes.

After lunch we tried to light the bonfire. With only Leo's lighter and a helping hand from burning his glove (an accident initially but nearly quite worthwhile!) we were just about to give up when some flames showed up - only an hour too late. Now we were concerned that the flames would be lighting up the night sky so we had to smother this little outburst, with the promise of fire-lighters and getting it started earlier next week.

A wheelbarrow full of dry leaves is taken across to help start the brash fire.

Joy of joys - the Island was discovered, as were some slabs beneath the marshy pond that we had been promised would be there.

Stonework indicating that the edge of the central island 

has been reached. At last - dry land to stand on!

Osian starts to sink into the mire as he digs a 

trench to investigate how deep the silt is.

Joanne and Ed join in with the trench task in a bid to 
find the promised slabs. 

Back at the barn Jan and Ruth cut up planks 

of wood to create some bird box kits......

 ...whilst Dave and Will had to shift tons of stone to ensure the walling group 

had a clear area to start work.

Oh, and the other highlight of the day has to be when we nearly lost Osian (not for the first time) to the sucking, oozy mud - only 5 minutes before we finished for the day. Quite a comprehensively wet welly there! Fortunately Osian saw the funny side of things too, once he had been pulled out.

Ros Kemp