Toft Gate: 02-02018

Apparently 3rd April is 'World Party Day' - so the NCVs decided to have a party. 

It was, of course, a working party - because that's what NCVs do. 

Work. 

Hard. 

No job too small.

This week they were having to labour on a task that they thought was done and dusted the last time they visited Toft Gate Lime Kiln. However - as is the nature of many conservation tasks - not all jobs stay done. A bit like the Forth bridge, the Toft Gate path constantly needs attention. Grass is growing over it all the time.

The state of the party venue when 
checked a month ago.

So - with spades, mattocks and wheelbarrows at the ready - the NCVs, donned their party hats, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They wanted to show Liz Milner, their new volunteer coordinator who had joined them for the first time, just what they were made of. 

Liz outlined the party plans for the day.
Note the snow on the ground.

'Hmmm', thought Andy - 'this is not going to be easy'.
Problem? We were lifting up gravel with the grass.

"Leave the thin grass in the middle of the path and just concentrate on the edges" suggested Graham. Good plan!! 
Everyone set to.

Slowly but surely the grass was lifted and barrowed away.

No matter how hard Jan stared at the clods of 
earth, they refused to leap into the barrow of their own accord.

In the end he gave up and used his spade.
(Makes a change to sitting in the warm barn "sharpening tools".)

Barrowers went off at a good pace down 
the hill to the dumping area.... 

...where things all went a bit pear shaped ...

....as the barrows started to sink wheel deep into the mire.

Clearing the grass required lots of bending.

It was a relief to sit or stand up straight at coffee time.

By lunch time the majority of the path was cleared ready for some fresh gravel.
This is a job for another day, as the rain set in good and proper and, for once, 
the NCVs decided to leave the party early.