All kinds going on this week! 10-03-2015

This week there were four different activities for NCVs to choose from. Paul opted for the  "inspiring events"  training session at Pateley Bridge Council Chambers, focussing on ideas for making our events work better in future. The NCVs could have joined him but, instead, most went for a more outdoors approach - an excellent idea given the beautiful sunny day. Two NCVs took the less inviting option of staying in the workshop, sharpening tools. This is a rather tedious process but we are very grateful to Jan and Dave for giving up their day in the sun to ensure that our tools are now all nice and sharp and ready for future use. The others split into two groups as follows......

Task one: Tree planting at Ramsgill

I am under strict instructions from her with a bee on her bonnet, to keep this brief, so…

The Task: plant 130 trees and some willows near the sand martin wall at Gouthwaite to hide a brand new sand martin wall from the road.

People: 1 Leader – Barry, waller and tree planter extraordinaire. 6 additional workers and 1 drone, comprising 2 volunteers from Nidd Birdwatchers and the rest from the NCVs.

Process: A demo by Barry. Stop for cake and coffee (with much thanks to Alwin). Plant trees. Stop for lunch and eat even more cake. Examine the sand martin wall. Head for home.

The team listen to their leader then get busy.

The tree tubes (and saplings) are soon in place in the enclosure.

What a great venue for a Tuesday morning!

An excellent day (well, half day really) for both weather and work. And cake! Thanks go particularly to Yorkshire Water for fencing off the area and providing the trees.

Tony (aka 'The drone')

Task two: Log shifting in Fishpond Wood

The Heritage skills students and four NCVs walked up to Fishpond Woods to rescue some of the logs from the many brash piles. These are going to be made into charcoal by the wood's owner once he purchases a charcoal burner. Armed with saws and wheelbarrows the small band of volunteers spent a happy though tiring day sawing, shifting and piling wood (see photos below).

First we had to select appropriate logs and start sawing them up. 

(20 - 80 cms long and about the width of an arm is ideal 

according to Osian's smart phone google search on site!)

The students shifted the logs in barrows, taking them around the end 

of the lake to the stacking department. During the afternoon supply exceeded the capacity of the 'piler upper' who began to disappear under the incoming tide of wood.

 At lunchtime some decided to snooze in the sun....

....whilst others chatted or pondered by the lake side.

(PS Thanks to Audrey for the flapjack)

By the end of the day we had two large log piles waiting by the path, 

ready for the charcoal burner when it arrives.

It has to be said that the dimensions of some of the last logs of the day were not exactly to google's instructions!!

The team felt very pleased with the fruits of their labours - 

and were well ready for a sit down!

Ros