Toft Gate Lime Kiln: 08-05-2018

Which footwear today?

 OR  ?

In some parts of the world today was a day to put on your sandals and flip flops, as the 8th May is celebrated as No Socks Day. According to the Weird Holidays website, citizens are told to "free their toes of the confines of socks and stockings"; to "give those toes of a breath of fresh air". It reduces the laundry load, and therefore, is healthy for the environment.

Unfortunately the NCVs were unable to celebrate the day in this way. If they had done then their toes would have been in great danger of being crushed and bruised. No - steel toe caps were more the order of the day as the task was to complete the job started a little while ago, namely that of re-defining the path edge at the Toft Gate Lime Kiln, Greenhow and, once done, laying gravel along its length.

At least this time they had glorious weather and weren't rained off at lunchtime. Shovelling gravel on a hot day without the benefit of tree cover would not always appeal, but there was a good breeze to keep everyone nice and cool.

Here's the gravel pile that had to be shifted.

And here's where it had to go.

So - grab a tool folks and get going!

Some were on barrow filling duty.

Others on barrowing....

...and tipping duty.

Yet more were on gravel raking...

...and tamping.

 There were still some parts of the path that had to be prepared.

This included areas that we'd already had a 
go at clearing last time we visited...

 ....and new areas further along, some of which were really bad. 

Of course, this generated tussocks that needed shifting out of the way.

At least the dumping area had dried up since our last visit.

The amazing wheelbarrow man of Toft Gate 
impressed onlookers with his skills at cutting down 
the number of return trips that had to be made.

Coffee and lunch times were very welcome breaks - 
a chance to re-hydrate whilst strung out along the lime kiln flue.

Gradually the path was sorted. 
By coffee time we'd done this much.

By lunch time we'd reached here.

The march of the gravel was relentless. Those at the bottom 
of the path were working furiously to ensure they were 
finished before it arrived.

Three Longhorn cows came over to check what was going on.

By 2:30pm we just had this much 
to do but no more energy to do it!!

By close of play the job was all but done and looking great.

And finally .....

Farewells were said to Laura, who starts a new job with an ecological consultancy firm next week so won't be able to come out to play on a Tuesday any more.

Laura - goodbye and good luck. Thank you for all your hard work. We shall all miss your lovely smile and good humour.