Tuesday, 27 May 2025

Hackfall Woods: 27-05-2025

Early start to beat the bullies

You may remember, if you follow this blog regularly, that last year the NCVs' visits to the Hackfall tree cages was a washout on the first attempt and a battle against the mile high bracken and balsam on the second. The vegetation was so high that the team had difficulty even finding the 8 cages. This year the gang set their alarm clock for late May, rather than late July, in the hope that both bracken and balsam would only be at their early growth stage, the cages would be easy to see and the bullies could easily be annihilated. Of course, the weather was something that could not be controlled by the earlier start. All the team could do was hope.

Did the gamble pay off? Let's take a look shall we?

A new route to the cages was 
not without its challenges.

Especially after the recent heavy rains.
Of course if they had followed Liz's instructions
they would have gone on a much better path.
As it was they followed the advice 
of a certain person who shall remain nameless.....

On arrival the situation looked promising.
The bracken and balsam was, indeed, 
only just starting to get a move on.

Well - here's a cage - easy to spot 
and not hard to reach.
The 5 strong team (yes, that's right, 
only 5. Hmmm. I wonder why?)
split into 2 groups aiming to work on 4 cages each.

Inside the cages the trees were growing well, 
possibly even getting big enough to suppress
 the bracken and balsam underneath.

Let the battle begin.
Team downhill (2 strong) 
got off to a slow start due to the preponderance
of wild rose bushes that needed pruning down 
to allow access. Only one cage was 
completed in time for coffee.

Team uphill (3 strong) got through
 2.5 cages by coffee time.
Now - is this because they:
a) had one extra person?
b) had easier cages to clear?
c) weren't doing as thorough job?

Time for a break in proceedings.
Initially they were sitting under an elder 
in case it rained - until they realised there was 
a busy colony of bees underfoot.
Everyone swiftly moved uphill.

And here we have the lovely Osian,
 modelling this spring's latest French millinery creation -
 a must have for all outdoorsy types.
It can be pulled down over the face, 
at a moment's notice, to allow the wearer to 
maintain an air of mystery or prevent 
ingress of midges "dans leur nez".

Back to business.

The outside of this cage was swamped
 by goat willow which needed cutting back
to allow access.

The final cage was dealt with by both teams
just in time for lunch and the arrival of the rain.

Tuesday, 20 May 2025

Old Spring Wood: 20-05-2025

 
World Bee Day

It was particularly fitting that the NCVs spent today - World Bee Day (NOT World Bidet!) - clearing conifer brash and removing holly. The venue? Old Spring Wood, a place the NCVs have worked before to good effect. Not only would the task stop the mature deciduous trees having to compete for light and water, but the extra light reaching the woodland floor will encourage woodland flora to flourish - excellent for bees.

Let's take a look and see what was going on.....

Before the NCVs could get to work on
the holly, they first had to try and make 
some sense out of a number of brash heaps
left by some contractors who are cutting
down some non-native conifers.

The NCVs channelled the bee work 
ethic and got bizzy, buzzing about,
bringing some semblance of order 
to three of the heaps.

At least it now looks as though 
somebody cares!

This heap was dismantled...

...and added to another, thereby creating
an area of woodland floor free 
for flowers to emerge.

The heap was a source of many logs 
which were stacked neatly into a log pile.

Talking of logs, this one 
was blocking the path.

Not for long.

A small group of enthusiasts
soon got down to business...

...and managed to shift it....

...leaving the path clear...

...and plenty of seating for coffee and lunch time.

Talking of coffee - thanks for a second 
week of Dorset biscuits Helena!!

After lunch it was time to leave
the conifer brash and make 
a start on the holly.

Brash was dragged away
to the dead hedging team.

There it was added to a previous 
hedge alongside the footpath that had 
all but dwindled away to nothing
over the last couple of years.

Cutters cut...

...and hedgers hedged.

Gradually anything that had been felled 
was cleared and the old hedge restored 
to its former glory.

There was the matter of yet another 
fallen log across a path that required attention.

After a LOT of sawing and heaving,
the middle section was removed to 
allow an easier route for brash draggers
 to reach the hedge.

Well - that was a good day's work!
Time to pack up and head home!

Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Heyshaw Moor: 13-05-2025

An aim in view

Regular readers of this blog may remember that, 6 months ago to the day, the NCVs met on Heyshaw Moor, high up above Pateley Bridge, in order to remove the encroaching scrub that was threatening to dry out the SSSI moorland and block out the view of the moors opposite. Today they were back there, loppers and saws in hand, ready to continue the task of cutting the trees down and dead hedging them along the pathway.

"Did they succeed with their aim?" I hear you ask. "Is the view now clear?" "Have all the trees been cut down and dead hedged?"

I'll let you be the judge ....

On arrival the NCVs were faced with 
a sea of small saplings.

Not only that, there was a little matter of a 
heap of brash that needed to 
be cleared, left over from last time.

We started adding this to the 
original dead hedge...

...until we decided to take the
 easy way out and create another
 hedge on the other side of the footpath.

All over the area saplings were getting
cut down.

Occasionally some bigger specimens
had to go.



NCV energy levels were boosted
by the ginger biscuits that Helena
provided at coffee time.
(Thanks Helena!)

Just as well really as dragging
bundles of brash through the 
high heather was tough.

The available seating at the 
Two Stoops towers had been taken
over by a ramblers group at lunchtime.
However, the NCVs didn't mind being 
relegated to the shady spot below 
the wall on such a hot day.

Mick was very well received when 
he brought out a box of lunchtime flapjack.
Thanks Mick!!

Work continued after the break...

...but when Dave fell to his knees 
with heat exhaustion, 
pleading to be allowed to go home...

... Liz decided that maybe it was time to 
call it a day - especially since a
 good job had been jobbed. 
That view was very much improved.