Hackfall Woods: 27-09-2022

 The Hackfall round

This week the NCVs headed off to Hackfall to do the monthly round of the woods; pruning, shifting and clearing. Tom and Paul both reported that there were not too many jobs to be done so let's see if they were right.....

The day started badly for Ken who discovered 

he had only 2 right handed gloves.

However, quick deployment of a bowsaw and a pritt stick

 soon sorted the problem out. 

Mind you - now he has 2 right hands....

The gang stayed together and started 

to make their way to the Castle, pruning as they went.

The odd culvert needed clearing too.

Halfway to the castle a stream bed 

was cleared of debris and vegetation.

 
This section needed a LOT of clearing 

but eventually the bridge emerged!

A short detour was made to admire the dry 

stone wall that the AONB's walling volunteers have built.

Well done those chaps!!

Arrival at the castle coincided with coffee time.

Paul entertained us with a story of how he helped 

the owner of a £700 drone that got stuck 

on the high window ledge.

Apparently rescuing it involved its owner having 

to drive to Ripon to buy telescopic ladder!

The task at the castle was to find the view.

'What view?' I hear you say.

This one across to Masham church of course.. 

Mind you a good deal of work was needed to reveal it.

All the brash was used to dead hedge a 

path that is not meant to be there.

Tom and Osian carefully placed on the final branch.

Job done, the NCVs moved on to the dropping well - 

a loooong walk if you remember.

En route Anita was used to prop up a tree that

 was in danger of falling on top of visitors.

Just as the NCVs drew near to their final goal they

 discovered a fallen branch that needed clearing.

On arrival at the dropping well everyone collapsed 

into the bracken and the balsam, exhausted from the hike.

An early lunch was in order.

Now - what has caught Ros E's interest?

What needed her to interrupt her lunch 

in order to take a pic?

Ahh. I see. A grooming session.

Liz was looking for tasty morsels 

hiding out in Osian's hair.

Or maybe she was just searching for a thorn?

After lunch, the NCVs were locked up in pairs 

in the 8 tree cages. They were told that they 

wouldn't be set free until all the bracken had been 

trampled down and the trees exposed. 

They all worked their socks off and were released, 

ready for the marathon journey back to the car park.

At the top of the steep hill back Ros E. just 

couldn't resist recording a rather lovely old oak tree.

Alistair played a crucial role by remembering its girth (4.02m)

while the measurer clambered back up the bank.

Days from a bygone age.... NCV revealed

Remember last week's challenge? Did you guess the NCV correctly? It was, of course.... Julia! Try your luck at another 'NCV Guess Who' soon.

 Then...

...and now.