Anyone who reads the blog regularly knows our esteemed investigative journalist from the Pateley Post, A. Hack, has been infiltrating a hardcore group of volunteer hedge layers this year in the pursuit of gossip and scandal from up t’dale. Could the rumours of A. Hack being on the trail of other news items in southern parts have contributed to a turnout of 12 volunteers and their glorious leader for today’s instalment of laying? Or was it the prospect of rain? Who knows, but the volunteers soon got into the swing of it on a fair start to another day in Upper Nidderdale.
And in the beginning there was a partially laid hedge.
During the steady progress of pleaching, laying, tidying, staking and rail affixing, volunteers were treated to a murmuration by a good size flock of starlings which formed a near perfect circle at one point.
The hedge layers got to work.
James helped out with the thicker stems to hurry the job along.
A well laid hedge with some of these hefty trucks.
The hedge gave good protection against
this menacing Dutchman.
AONB hedge support system
(Patent pending)
Everyone enjoyed a Nidderdale picnic whilst
Alistair offered up a prayer to the weather gods.
COMPETITION CORNER
Who's knees are these?
Answers on a postcard.
A small dispute between the ten axe / billhook / bow saw wielding volunteers and the lone road re-surfacer about traffic cone ownership was good fun too. By lunchtime the rain bearing clouds were moving in and efforts were redoubled to tidy today’s portion of laid hedgerow. Just 5m still needed to be finished by close of play - a job for an elite group tomorrow. Once this is done we will have completed 70m!!
Here comes the rain, doody doody,
Until the next time, hedge laying enthusiasts.
Osian
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