Today is International Bath Day - a time to slow down and relax. A time to take a long hot bath instead of just jumping in for a quick shower.
Well, the NCVs didn't have much time to do this before they had to start work right up at the top of Nidderdale. The drive to Middlesmoor, and the long walk down to Low Riggs Farm, meant that they had to leave early with just enough time to grab some breakfast and put on their work clothes. Hot baths would have to wait until the end of the day!!
So - what was going on up at Low Riggs? Take a look and see.....
In 2017 the NCVs did some footpath work up here.
But that was back in the day before we had our
swanky new brush-cutters to carry to the site.
whether the NCVs would feel the same, whilst
walking back uphill at the end of the day,
was another matter.
Both above and below the footpath down the hill
were some newly planted trees...
...and now - you've guessed it - bracken bashing
and tree tube maintenance was required!
Alistair - being very keen - started bashing
en-route to the work site.
What a star!
At the bottom of the hill Liz gave a small group
a quick training session on how to use the brush cutters.
Anyone doing this had to don the correct safety gear....
...and prove that they could waggle their bottoms
from side to side in a gentle rhythm.
"Snake Hips" Julia showed a particularly high level
of competence in this skill.
Having cut their teeth on some flat ground they
progressed to the advanced:
'cutting bracken on a steep hillside' module.
Dave managed to uncover the long
lost footpath to Nirvana, last walked in the1600s.
Sorry - got that one wrong.
It was just the footpath to Scarhouse.
Those not using brush cutters got busy with their sticks.
The bracken was almost as high as an elephant's eye.
Many trees were now mature enough
to be released from their tubes...
...and a number of trees were, sadly, no more.
Tubes had to be removed and collected.
These mounted up - here is one of the three large
piles created by the end of the day.
Everybody enjoyed their breaks in the sunshine,
generally having a good laugh.
Andy - remember: 'Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour's outdoor seating.'
After lunch the team moved up towards the farm
buildings, where another area needed similar attention.
To reach it, without having to climb over a barbed
wire fence, everyone had to breathe in and sqeeeeeze
through this very narrow gap.
Luckily the bracken here was a good deal thinner
on the ground and the job was soon done. Hurray!
Julia gave the information panel a quick
polish with her glove. That's better Julia.
You can read about the wildflower meadows now.
Up near the farm was a little band of young calves,
all quite willing to pose for photographs.
So, now we shall leave the NCVs wending their way back up to the car park at Middlesmoor, hopefully for a nice, long, hot bath to celebrate today's special day. They will also need to apply copious amounts of anti-histamine cream to combat the 'Fizzing' legs caused by the nettles.
Their story will continue in two weeks time. Although they will be busy bashing bracken in Old Spring Wood next week, the editor is taking a week's leave and will be off grid on the Hebridean Island of Lewis, so there will be no blog.
Bye for now! (Or as they say on Lewis - “Tìoraidh an-dràsta!”)
at the barn this summer, as Liz has used one
of the new brush cutters to chop them all down!!.
No comments:
Post a Comment