Footpath work at Fishpond wood and wild flower training: 27th and 28th April 2015

Monday 27th April: A training session

This week began early for 4 NCVs who attended a 'Roadside Species Identification' training session on Monday morning at the Pateley Bridge Council Chambers with Kelly Harmer, a Nidderdale AONB development officer, and Tara Challoner from the Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership. We heard about the NAONB verge survey that was carried out in 2012/13, the report for which can be read via:

http://www.nidderdaleaonb.org.uk/Pages/Roadside-verges-.aspx

We then drove to Galphay to look at two of the 34 sections of Nidderdale roadside verges that have been identified as being of special interest and had a look at the many wild flower species that were growing there. We also learned how to survey the sites, a job that is to be continued each year in order to help maintain their biodiversity. I am looking forward to getting started on this project and have already ordered a new wild flower identification guide!!

Ground ivy and Coltsfoot (the leaves of which appear after the flowers)

Ros E.

Tuesday 28th April: Fishpond Wood

Today’s task was to make a start on creating a path from the dam to the Ice House at Fishpond Wood, which would be suitable for all. 17 NCVs including the Heritage skills lads met at the barn to gather tools and lots of barrows on a day of very mixed weather.  One minute we were bathed in sunshine, the next we were scurrying for our hats and waterproofs as deluge of hail, or was it snow (snail?) descended from above.  

"NCVs - PRESENT BARROWS. On my signal you will move

 forward, maintaining the integrity of the barrow line at all times."

On reaching the car park at Fishpond we were greeted by a huge pile of gravel.  Not to be daunted we readily organised ourselves into teams. Team 1 filled the barrows. 

The start of a barrow's journey. 

Will and Osian got the spades loaded up 

whilst they waited for each barrow to arrive.

Team 2 headed up to The Ice House where they created a temporary path edge and awaited delivery of gravel to spread and tamp into place.  Team 3 in the meantime had positioned themselves along the 500 metre track to relay the gravel to Team 2.   Not only gravel was relayed to and fro. Messages also made their way along the line “Don’t fill the barrows, it’s too heavy.”  Bring ammunition, we’re going to advance”.  “Coffee time!” “Will’s having another coffee!” “Lunch time!” 

Dave started the trip off....

....and passed the barrow on to Alistair....

...then to Laura and then to Graham.

On the relay went - to Ros E, Dave L., Julia, 

Anita, Ros K. and Angela.

Up the hill towards journey's end where 

Ed did the final tipping duty...

...and then joined in with the tamping down.

This week Graham and Dave demonstrate the 

"Do-si-do" technique we used for passing on the barrow - 

an acceptable alternative to last week's Olympic ruling.

(If you can't get the video to work then see below.)

Andi helped to create an edge to the path, 

utilising pieces of rhododendron. 

Empty barrows sometimes built up 

and had to go back in pairs.

Coffee time at the lakeside...

...allowed for a meeting of minds and barrows.

Lunch was a musical bonanza with tunes from Peter and the Wolf, Teddy Bears' Picnic and I’m a Blue Toothbrush along with sounds of the song thrush.  And then there was THE cake - yum! (Thanks Osian).

Ros E braves the hailstorm at lunchtime...

...then the sun came out and all was lovely again.

Path creation began at the ice house....

....and gradually the M6 extension appeared 

(or is it the yellow brick road?) 

As the gravelled part of the path elongated and the relay team shortened, 3NCVs headed back to the barn to make some necessary repairs to the pizza oven – a few cracks had appeared.  Mixing the clay and sand proved quite messy but fun.  Let’s hope it has done the trick.

Three fair maids figured out the best way 

to mix the clay for the bread oven.

The bread oven's badly cracked dome was carefully 
made whole again thanks to Ros K's healing hands..

Another good day!

Anita

Path work at Hackfall Woods: 21-04-2015

A good turn out of 16 NCVs joined Paul and the Heritage Skills team at Hackfall Woods this morning. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the flowers were blooming. It was a lovely day, made all the more lovely because we weren't tree planting for a change. Instead, today's tasks involved three different types of work:

• Gravel laying on the track from Alum Spring to Fisher Hall.

This job was done in a number of stages.....

Once the track barrow was filled by Will up at the farm...

 ....Mike drove it down to Alum Spring. This was the first of 
many trips and Mike went home with his teeth rattling. 

.

Terry was not impressed by the size of the gravel heap 

that was going to have to be shifted and considered 

going on a sit down strike before he'd even started.

John and Sally got to work transferring the gravel 
from the heap to the barrows.

NCVs flew down the path, assisted by the force of gravity 
acting upon the heavy barrows.
The trip back up seemed a good deal more arduous.

Once down at Fisher Hall the barrowing team emptied 

out the gravel before posing for a B&Q catalogue photo-shoot.

The gravel was raked flat by whoever wanted 

to have a rest from barrowing.

After lunch it was decided that we would use a relay approach to try to make life a little easier. The trek all the way down and all the way back up again was just too tiring. It was suggested that we should have a training session in how to pass the wheelbarrow from one member of the team to the next without having to stop. Paul and Laura demonstrate the Olympic Committee recognised technique below:

Team member A (TMA) waits in the receiving position 

whilst team member B (TMB) arrives with the barrow.

TMA then swivels on his toes and (at the same time)puts his left

 hand on the handle of the barrow, maintaining momentum.

Continuing to propel the barrow forward at all times TMA then

swiftly changing his hands to the correct positions. 

By the time we finished the path looked much better and should allow visitors to keep their feet reasonably dry through the winter.

  

• Removing overhanging vegetation along the various pathways.

A team of 6 ladies lopped their way through the day, surveying the wild flowers as they went. 

They decided to leave this tree intact,

even though it was encroaching on the path.

Anita got her priorities right once she reached 

Mowbray Castle - loppers down / coffee out.

The elusive Herb Paris

The appropriately named Toothwort

• Rescuing the tufa rocks that had been dislodged from around the Fountains pond fountain by careless visitors to the woods.

This was a job for Paul and Graham. The fountain's island should not really be visited by walkers and it was a shame to see the pipes on display. The job involved having to first locate the rocks under the water and then retrieve them before putting them back into place. Hopefully that is where they will stay!

Graham risked getting wet feet 

for the good of the fountain.

At lunchtime the NCVs met up at Alum Spring for a well earned rest and tested out the various seating arrangements available.

 Kent's Seat was popular with the punters.

Paul was peeved that the streamside rock 

was already taken.

Osian decided to go for the IKEA wheelbarrow range.

(Suitable for sitters who prefer a more solitary dining experience)

By 2:30pm the call went up that it was time to wend our way up to the car park. I must admit - I was not sorry to finish work and looked forward to a hot bath!!

Ros E.

Longside Farm - The final frontier:14-04--2015

Today was the day we finally finished this monster task, 1600 assorted trees to be planted, staked and protected. Paul led the nine Nidderdale volunteers and two Heritage skills students once more up the hill to begin their work.

The weather was disappointing with strong gusty winds that could dislodge the unwary from the hillside. This project has given us every type of weather over the weeks, some good some awful!

NCVs and tree tubes all over the hillside.

 Let's see if there's another tree 

here for me to plant.

However at 14:15 today the 1600^th tree was planted, not much more to say!

Longside Farm "Guess the last tree to be planted" photo competition.

Was it tree A, B or C?

Answers on a postcard. Closing date - Midday 15th April 2015.

Prize will be the chance to take part in the next major tree planting event in a challenging environment. (Terms and conditions apply - see below.)

Tree A - Planted by an NCV who just 

couldn't stand up any longer. 

Tree B - Planted by a cool dude with a spade

Tree C - Planted by an NCV who was determined 

that it would remain planted.

Terms and conditions - In case they win competition participants should:

• Be able to climb steep hillsides like a mountain goat
• Enjoy keeping control of armfuls of tree tubes whilst battling against high winds
• Be able to wield a heavy lump hammer for hours on end
• Understand which way up to plant a sapling
• Remember which way up a tree tube should go - yes - there is a right way.

A group photo to celebrate the finished job.

Some volunteers did then accompany Paul to the newly built sand martin wall at Ramsgill to sow some seeds, good luck with that wind!

Carl's the king of the castle - well - the sand martin wall anyway!

This is what he was doing on the top of the wall.

And this is the seed mixture that was being planted.

Terry

You've guessed it - more tree planting at Longside farm: 07-04-2015

Before any planting could be done this week three of us had to un-plant the hundreds of trees that had been heeled into the tree nursery as a temporary measure at the end of last Tuesday. The poor things don't know whether they are coming or going - especially the ones that had to be re-heeled into the ground after this week's session! Phil takes up the story.....

This Tuesday could not have been more different from last. Instead of high winds and lashing rain storms we had a lovely spring day. The sun was out, the birds were singing, it was warm in the morning with an even breeze and by afternoon almost hot. The views up and down Nidderdale were stunning and it was hard to remember it was the same place.

At Longside once more 11 NCVs and Paul took on the task of planting the hillside with trees.  We made good progress and by the time we finished much more of the hillside was covered than when we began. The trees are a mix of varieties, mostly deciduous. They have been heeled in and out a few times and those we planted will benefit when the fine weather breaks and the rain returns.

Some areas were simply impossible to plant....

...but some areas of open ground could be found.

Two NCVs took a coffee break and had a chat...

....whilst these two soldiered on.

Sally gazed out over the view, wishing 

she was planting trees in the valley bottom.

At lunchtime Jan gave his feet an airing.....

....and Osian made himself at home in the warm sunshine.

Everyone was glad to take a rest.

In some places there is not a great depth of soil and last week's winds found a few weak spots. A task once all are planted will be to straighten those that are no longer as vertical as when they went in.

Of the 1600 trees supplied there are just 250 or so left which should provide another good day's work next week.

Phil