Guisecliff and Fishpond Woods: 08-08-2017

Pateley Pigeon Post

NCVs’ battle against the 

Bertie Brackenfrond gang continues.

A.Hack

This week 14 NCVs went in search of some ancient cup and ring marked stones at Guisecliff and the old ice house at Fishpond Woods near Bewerley. These two important historical features had disappeared completely. 

Why? Remember their old arch enemy Bertie Brackenfrond? (New readers can catch up by referring to the blog entry for 28th June 2016) Well - he and his mates are back in force at the moment, completely obliterating everything they have grown up around. The NCVs needed to get out with their sticks and whack ol' Bertie and his gang into submission.

So - that's just what they did - first up at Guisecliff .....

They had to walk nearly 1.5 miles to get there - uphill.

En route a particularly 'spooked' herd of cattle needed circumventing.
The bull leading the charges wouldn't have looked out of place in a Spanish bullring.
The NCVs prayed that there would be no power cut in the electric fence containing them!

On seeing the scale of the job ahead Graham 
decided to start the task with a cup of coffee.

Then the the search for the lost rocks began.

Sticks were wielded right, left and centre.

Tom proudly displayed a rock that he worked hard to reveal -
only to learn that it wasn't one of the carved ones!

This one looked promising - 
but turned out to be a red herring.

More bashing of the Brackenfrond hoards was needed.

Tony decided to sit and row his way through.

 At last some carved rocks were discovered.

Three in all - these two are more photogenic than the third.

Tony tried an alternative method of crushing Bertie.
The 'Fall forward' technique.
Click on this dropbox link if the video above doesn't work for you.

The final bracken bashing frenzy was horrific to watch. 
Bertie and his oppos didn't stand a chance when 
a number of NCVs moved in for the kill.

Amongst the broken stems of the battlefield 
Will and Andy found time to play "I'm a little teapot".
However - both forgot the all important spouts.

Personal, harrowing stories abounded during the morning.

• Dave arrived without his boots so borrowed a pair one size too small from the workshop. He ended up with blisters having been chased out of a field by yet another herd of frisky bullocks when catching up with the group. In spite of this he made it to the task site and worked hard to eradicate the bracken.

• Ros E. discovered she'd lost her mobile phone when she came off the hillside. Having toiled all the way back up to the scene of carnage above she rang her device on another NCV's phone - only to find it was in her back pocket all the time. Doh!

Once finished at Guisecliff the NCVs moved into Fishpond Wood, lower down the hillside to continue the assault. Noon had arrived and so had the heavy rain. Lunch was taken under the 'shelter' of the trees by the pond. A tin of Audrey's flapjack raised their spirits.

  

8 green bottles sitting on a wall.

Then it was back to the grindstone.

Now - where's that ice house?
There was one here - somewhere.

Ah - there it is!

This particular battle was won fairly quickly. 
Just as well as the rain became most insistent.

Might this now be the end of the Brackenfrond gang? Who knows? Probably not - but you can be sure that, if they dare to return, the NCVs will be ready and waiting, sticks at the ready!