Rock House, Bewerley: 18-02-2020

For anyone wondering what happened to the NCV blog last week .....

The aftermath of Storm Ciara meant that the normal Tuesday task had to be cancelled so there was nothing to report.

This week we were dealing with the aftermath of Storm Dennis but the tree planting window is fast closing and so we just had to get on with it - as you can see below....

There was a certain sense of foreboding when the NCVs got the message through about this week's task. 

Tree planting - fine. No problem with tree planting.

Tree planting up near Toftgate. Oh. Now then. That's different. Last time they planted trees up there they were trying to insert trees into very thinly covered, rocky ground. (Similarly when trying to insert fence posts up there a few years later - the points on more than one metal bar were bent in the process.) 

Tree planting up near Toftgate, at a place called 'Rock House' ???????!!!!!!!

So - what was the ground actually like and how did the NCVs get on with the task of planting 300 trees? Read on....

We've got the tree posts....

...and Paul's got some trees...

...there are plenty of tree guards. 
Now all we need is somewhere to put them.

The weather was not great and the forecast for the afternoon 
was dire so it was decided to focus on the lower, less exposed planting area.
This was Greenhow after all.

As the first hole was dug the NCVs' worse fears were confirmed.
This was not called 'Rock House' for nothing!

Anita followed Mallet Man Tom around the dry area, at the top of the slope,
 with a bunch of trees, anxiously waiting for him to find a spot 
where a fence post could be inserted.

Luckily, in the area below the ground was VERY marshy and soft.
Not nearly so many rocks here. By the time Tom had managed to hammer
 in one post all these had been inserted lower down. Phew!

At last the job of inserting trees could start.

 By coffee time things were well under way - both at the top...

...and at the bottom of the slope.

Everyone moved to the great banqueting hall for their breaks.

There was a certain amount of chair envy going on when it was discovered 
that those lucky enough to have a seat also had a table flap available.
Those sitting on the ladder or the floor felt like second class citizens.

Landowners Andrew and Pat kindly provided 
two boxes of biscuits and two boxes of assorted yummy cakes.
Thanks folks!

 After coffee half the group finished off the lower site and the others headed off to the second planting area at the top of the property.
Uh oh. Rocks.

Undeterred, the NCVs got busy and soon had lots of stakes in place.

In spite of the rocky terrain work cracked on for the rest of the morning and for a half hour after lunch. At this point the weather became so ghastly 
everyone decided it was time to throw in the towel.
No photographs could be taken in the afternoon due to the driving rain.
Approx. 225 of the 300 trees were planted. Not too shabby!

Throughout the task one of our new NCV signs was standing near the road.

Not sure if anyone would take up the offer on the sign if they had 
spotted us working after lunch in the driving rain and strong winds!