Hackfall Woods: 272-2024

 End of February - 

and lots of things to do!

 A change from planting and laying hedges this week. The NCVs were due a monthly visit to Hackfall Wood - the first of 2024, so that is what they did. There were all kinds of things to do so let's have a look and see some highlights.....

 

Well that looks promising.

A good sized team

and everyone happy.

 

 

Lots of holly to trim back in places.

And up at Mowbray Castle there

was rather a lot of scrub hiding the view.

This was tackled from above....

 

....from in the middle...

...and from the bottom.

These steps needed a clean....

...this set too.

Oooo. Now then. Perhaps one to

 leave to the contractors?

But this could be sorted.

As long as you were willing to get 

EXTREMELY muddy!

Not too much mud 

here.

 

Fisher's Hall - a good 

place to perch for a break.

 

And what a treat - 

Liz's fruit cake topped with 

Wensleydale cheese (provided

by Paul.)

Thanks guys!!

 

Found in the undergrowth near Fisher's Hall - 

NOT rubbish, but some pieces of the 

structure's old window frames, 

needed for the restoration project.

 

There were signs of spring

- including evidence that 

the frogs had been friendly!

 

Jobs all done - 

time to head for the car park.

 

Liz had to travel under the 

rainbow to get home.

Kex Moor Farm, Kirkby Malzeard: 20-02-2024

Give me an H. 

 Give me an E. 

 Give me a DGE.

 What have you got?

 Yet another HEDGE!!

 

Yes - it's that time of year. Another set of trees and another hedge to be planted. This time the NCVs were working at Kex Moor Farm, near Kirkby Malzeard. The number of saplings awaiting them was 1400 so let's get on with it shall we?

 

First job - fit 11 cars into a space that wasn't 

really designed for that many. 

With 16 NVCs out thank goodness 

some walked, cycled or car shared!!

Next up - take all the resources

 to the work area.

Osian decided to go with the

 wheelbarrow option.

Uh oh. A mattock? Are you 

sure we'll need one of those?

Landowner Adrian chose this moment

 to mention that there were the

 foundations of a boundary 

wall down one side of the field. 

Hmmm. OK. Mattock it is.

Don't forget to get some of the trees.

Next set out the canes and spirals...

...and finally start putting 

trees into the ground.

The field being rush pasture was 

a bit of a clue that it was going 

to be a muddy business.

Everyone was soon caked 

from head to toe and all points in between.

Coffeetime could be taken out 

in the wind and sun....

...or in the relative warm of the garage....

...along with a number of hens that 

jealously guarded the entrance to the loo.

Come on ladies - out of the way.

I really need to get past!!

Wherever you chose to sit, there 

were 4 different goodies on offer. 

Thanks Emily!!

The bottom field was 

completed by lunchtime.

Then there was the little 

matter of the top field.

Here there was not only a 

hedge around the edge....

...but also a plantation in the middle.

At least here the ground was NOT muddy.

Then, all of a sudden, 

the job was at an end.

See for yourself!

Northwood Farm, Dacre: 13-02-2024

 

After last week's gruelling round of the Gladiators' hedge planting challenge was aired on television, the NCVs have been dealing with the aftermath of being in the public eye. They have been pestered for autographs and had people wanting selfies taken with their heroes.

Another outcome has been that Liz (now the NCVs' official show biz agent) received a call from Northwood Farm, Dacre. Could those gladiators bring their force to bear on yet another tree planting event (a plantation this time, not a hedge)? 

"Of course," she said, and when she heard that there were only 200 trees she upped the anti. "Not only will we rise to this challenge,  I pledge that the task will be completed in only half a day!!"

A dangerous promise to make Liz. Remember the glacial drift subsoil at Tiplady farm? 

Could the NCVs do it?

 

Everyone gathered in a VERY muddy field,

ready for the off.

Now - shall we remind ourselves about 

how to plant a tree expertly?

Step 1: Take all the resources across

 the mud to the work area.

Well done Rosie - 

expert wheelbarrow handling!

Step 2: Put said resources into 

position, on top of the mud, 

 around the site. Don't worry -

It will all look fine in the end.

Step 3: Insert a post into the mud.

That's it Adrian - give it a good whack.

Step 4: Dig mud out of a hole, 

as ably demonstrated by Anita.

Don't be perturbed by the schlurping

 noise as the mud is released.

Step 5: Insert a sapling into the muddy hole.

Thank you Paul.

Very delicately done.

Step 6: Heel the mud back into the hole.

That's it Mick.

Excellent heel action there.

 

Step 7: Finally - cover the sapling with

 a green plastic tube.

Anita - just check Andrew is

doing it correctly would you? 

Step 8: Repeat the above 200 times 

before leaning on your spade, 

declaring the job done, 

and going home early.

 

Did they do it? 

In the words of Bob the Builder (almost) -

OF COURSE THEY DID!!

 

 

Maxfield Plain, Pateley Bridge: 06-02-2024

Gladiators - Are you ready?
 

"Contenders - in this challenge you will try to prevent yourselves being buried alive by the mighty team of NCV gladiators.

You will go on my first whistle.

Gladiators - you must try to plant no fewer than 1500 of the arboreal contenders within the alloted time. 

You will go on my second whistle.

Are you ready?"

Peep!

 

1500 trees, squeezed into this cage, steeled themselves to resist the onslaught in this 3 round competition.

 

 

Peep!

 

12 Gladiatorial NCVs raced into action, across the field of Maxfield Plain, Pateley Bridge, wielding spades.

Hang on - something doesn't look right.

 

Shouldn't the Glads be dressed more like this?

 

Well, yes. Obviously. But the BBC insisted that they wear weather appropriate gear for this episode. Health and safety gone mad!! Mind you - the weather was appalling to start with - as the video footage below shows (heavy rain and 200mph winds). Luckily this improved 100% after an hour of filming.

 

Back to the action.... 

The arena had been double fenced to keep the sheep from nibbling the tops of the saplings. 

Challenge number one was entering the ring. 

Gladiator Athena demonstrated 

excellent vaulting capability here.

 

Wham!

Gladiator Phantom inserts the

 first contender - Dolly Dog Rose.

 

Bam!!

Gladiator Viper inserts Harry Hawthorn 

who tried to fight back to no avail.

Wallop!!!

Gladiator Apollo ignores 

Henrietta Hazel's doe eyed 

pleas for mercy and sticks her roots

firmly into the soil.

Denis Dog Wood played dirty 

and wore a luxuriant root wig

to try to create havoc.

All to no avail.

Biff!!!!

Gladiator Legend simply laughed

in Denis's face and stuck him into the ground.

 

Luckily, there was a 2m gap between

the arena fences to allow the muscly glads

 plenty of space for action.

 

This allowed 450 candidates to be seen off

by the time refreshments were due.

 

Off the glads went for a short 

rest in the green room

 

The cameras kept rolling, taking in the 

quality of the BBC catering department.

Chef Lorraine had done a superb job

and the glads were extremely grateful.

 

Then it was onwards- to arena number 2.

Gladiators Phantom (Left) and Bionic (Right)

carried the next tranche of 540

terrified contenders off in a trug.

 

 

Apollo showed just how powerful he 

was by wheeling this HUGE box of tubes 

across the field.

The watching crowd roared in delight.

 

Particularly appreciative 

of the whole competition were

 Louis...

 

...and Grumpy Ken.

Gladiators Bionic (Left) and Steel (Right)

ran ahead to poke canes into the earth

in preparation.

 

Bong!

Another one bites the dust!

One after another of the contenders failed 

to deflect the NCV Gladiators from their goal

and were firmly imprisoned in plastic tubes.

 

After a final tubing frenzy 

the competition was over.

 

The third and final batch of

 510 contenders was dealt with.

Final result - carnage! And 240m of newly planted hedge. The Gladiators wiped the sweat from their brows and downed tools before emerging, triumphant, from the arena. The crowd went wild!!

 

Gladiators from left to right:

Athena: Nitro: Phantom: 

Legend: Giant: Steel: Apollo: 

Bionic: Viper: Fury

If any viewers would like autographed portraits of any (or all) of the gladiators they can be purchased at a reasonable price from the BBC.