The two resident expert volunteer tool sharpeners took on the onerous duty of keeping warm in the barn tool sharpening in preparation for next week’s task.
The sharpeners
The sharpened
After resolving a slight difference of opinion as to which white van we were heading for, most of the team eventually managed an invigorating walk to the work site across farmland from Middlesmoor car park, ably guided by student James.
A squidgy start....
...led to better conditions.
At Middlesmoor it became clear that farmers in
these parts can see through trees.
Peter outlined the task for the day which included setting edging boards and digging out a suitable surface for a switch back path for public use up from How Stean Beck. On this cold, grey day volunteers were initially a little thin for another task - to reset a stepping stone in the beck.
Everyone looked away when
stepping stone volunteers were asked for.
The small army of spikers, post knockers, edging board setters and path layers soon got into their stride. So much so that most of the work was done by lunchtime.
The path line was first marked out with timber.
What a team!
We're not sure what Mr Inside Out Hat was doing here.
(Answers on a post card.)
Just make sure that you don't miss the
top of the post please, Oliver.
Exactly where is this path leading?
Ah - to Dave's fine switchback of course.
The four brave souls who got into the beck’s icy waters also finished their task efficiently.
Colin wished he'd kept silent when he saw the
size of the stepping stone he'd volunteered to re-set.
"Come on lads - get your backs into it."
(one of the bars was bent during this task.)
Appreciating that the forecast rain had held off and wondering how one volunteer had managed to transit ‘The Stean portal’ to Nirvana (?) and was lunching 50 yards away, we wondered what else could be done after lunch. Simple, fit the last two boards and perfect, well sort of, the path surface.
Lunch break...
,,,with the three wise monkeys.
Whilst 'Billy no mates' lunched alone.
Path perfected.
Job done, the last volunteers had an easier walk back to Middlesmoor in the company of three buzzards.
Osian
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