Fencing continues up at Toft Gate: 31-05-2016

The main question in everyone's mind this week was "Is there a chance that the Toft Gate footpath fencing task will be completed today?" We'd developed a system for erecting fence posts into solid rock over the previous weeks and hoped that this would carry us through to the end point before the day was out.
How wrong we were. It didn't. There is still a way to go - but the good news is that a contractor is being drafted in to use a pneumatic drill to help the job along. 

A small band of 6 NCVs turned up today. The lower numbers could be due to half term holidays and grand-parental duties, but could well be down to the thought of the job at hand. We split into 2 groups to focus on either fence post insertion or the nailing on of the railings. As the rails were completed so the tops of the posts were sawn off to size. 

 The post inserter team in action.

Is there anybody there?

 This hole had to be abandoned - the rock won the day...

...and caused the spit to start to curl into a shepherd's crook.

Meanwhile the 'railers' got to work, carefully 

measuring where to nail the rails.

Ros K. tried out various ways of keeping the posts 

from getting knocked down by the hammering required to bend the nails.

John and Tom sawed in unison.

Ros K. attempted to saw off the top of Ros E's head.

Ros E. was simply not sturdy enough to keep the post 

from wobbling under the onslaught so John thought he'd lend two hands.

A photographer from 'The Sun' turned up to take a shot.

It was a hard job but smiles were maintained 

throughout and tea breaks were enjoyed.

Half way through the morning there was some excitement when Ros E. spotted a tiny bird swimming on a nearby pond. James identified it as a Red-necked Phalerope which is not seen very often in these parts. Anyone keen to catch sight of it is welcome to go to the Toft Gate cafe to ask permission to visit the pond - but you need to hurry as it may not stay around for long. 

This is what a Red-neckeded Phalerope looks like 

(Taken from the RSPB site)...

...and this is what Ros E. actually saw (bird is at the right hand side of the picture).

David Attenborough needn't worry that her photography 

efforts will outshine his wildlife programmes.

This is a photo that Tony K. took later in the day. 
Not quite as good as Ros's!!

By 1:30pm an end to the day's work was called as the railers had caught up with the posters and nothing more could be done until the arrival of the drill. The owners of the Toft Gate cafe kindly invited us in for a tea or coffee, so we spent a civilised half hour there before heading home.

We're getting there - but probably won't need 

to see the job through to the bitter end.

Tea and coffee in the warmth of the cafe.

Ros E.