Guisecliff: 18-06-2019

FOILED AGAIN!!!

This is the second time that the image above has been used in the NCV blog in recent times. Last time road closures were just an obstacle that had to be overcome in order to reach our work site. This week they actually prevented us from being able to travel to the upper reaches of the River Nidd in order to pull up balsam. (Phew!)

Instead the NCVs met at the barn not sure what lay ahead.

The day began with the long trek up to the edge of Guisecliff Wood 
in order to bash bracken around the three cup and ring marked stones.

The view behind us was beautiful.

However, the view behind the wall was definitely NOT beautiful.

Julia and Ruth set off immediately, bashing a path through the bracken so that walkers can reach these special rocks, dating back to bronze age times and protected by Historic England. Once they had done the big reveal on a large rock they discovered that it was not one of the historic monuments! Never mind ladies - it's all good exercise.

Alistair and Andrew...

...along with visiting volunteer, Rachael,
 cleared a track up to and around another rock.

Luckily theirs definitely WAS a proper cup and ring marked rock.
The NCVs had to make sure that the rock surfaces were not cleaned off in any way to try to protect the markings.

This trio of bashers were a little underwhelmed by their chosen rock.

The first task was finished in record time for an early coffee break.
What's that you are eating folks?

Oh - just a little something that Tony's wife (aka domestic goddess Alwin) whipped up, the day after returning home from a two week holiday, 
to celebrate Tony's very special birthday.
THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH ALWIN (and happy birthday Tony.)
 Both the carrot cake and the raspberry cake were delicious!

And then it was off down the hill to the next job, 
further into Guisecliff Wood.

And the job?
To lift up and secure an almost deceased fence that the farmer would like to resurrect.

Well - a little bit of stake insertion here...

...and some judicious use of tree ties...

...eventually turned an almost non-existent fence into a passable imitation.
(Not quite our usual standard but the best that could be done given the material we had.)

Then it was a bit more uphill walking to reach the lovely Guisecliff Tarn.

 Here the NCVs had their lunch - and another piece of cake.

At one point there was a good deal of excitement 
as a fish was seen swimming under a rock.

Andrew considered spearing it to take home for the BBQ but as it was only about 2" long decided it wasn't worth the risk of getting wet.

Then it was onward and upward amongst the very old trees.

The final job on the agenda was to try and improve the muddy sections of the upper path through the wood.

In the absence of wheelbarrows, spades and 50 tons of gravel the NCVs opted for any pieces of deadwood they could find.

Not sure how long these two patches will last.

Further along there were some rocks that could be harvested for stepping stones.
Osian took the easy way out and rolled some down to the path.

 Superwoman Liz managed to cart them some distance before dropping them into the mire - only to splash 2 NCVs with a good deal of mud.
Thanks Liz!!

Ros K. tried out the stepping stones and felt that they were of excellent quality.

Finally it was time to start the long trek back to the barn to give boots a clean.
Osian - in his size 100 boots found it all a bit of a tight squeeze in this particular trug.

This little field mouse wouldn't have had any trouble fitting into the trug
 but didn't have any dirty boots to worry about.