Hackfall Woods for path work and pond dipping: 26-05-2015

Today was an AONB events day at Hackfall and two of the 8 NCVs that turned out spent some of their time supporting the children's pond dipping activity that was taking place at Fountains pond. This is always well attended and the participants really enjoyed themselves, learning a lot about fresh water ecology into the bargain. Especially interesting to some was watching one great diving beetle larva eating a damselfly nymph!

The dippers get busy dipping 

in the beautiful surroundings of Fountains pond.

 What can we see in here?

All kinds of interesting things in this net full.

Whilst all this was going on the rest of the NCVs were busy working on footpath gravelling (now that makes a change!) with the help of wheelbarrows and the track barrow. With all the path work we have been doing recently in Fishpond wood we are now experts.

Mike worked hard at the top filling the track barrow ...

...then driving it down hill.

A new pile of gravel was then created 

ready for transfer to the barrows.

John (and Sally) got busy 
filling up the barrows that kept arriving.

Down the NCVs went at speed......

 

.....then up they trudged at a slower rate.

Mid-morning everyone met for a bit of a chat.

The path looked better at close of play.....

...but some of the NCVs didn't! 
This one was in dire need of a sit down and a cuppa.

Ros E.