Summerbridge and ROW task: 02-12-2025

 
December is upon us!!

With only two more task days before the final Xmas walk meet up of the year, it was all systems go for the NCVs. They needed to get 1700 trees (yes - that's right - hardly any at all if you say it quickly!) planted for organic farmer Steven Lofthouse, in the fields leading up towards Braisty Woods from Summerbridge. The fields have been fenced to keep livestock in and now it is time to plant a hedge alongside. 

Well - that is a job that the NCVs are well used to. They know all there is to know about hedge planting - as you can see from the pictures below:

This was the work site - one field edge

to plant this week and the one 

across the bottom next week.

Once there, everyone started doing what 

was needed. In this case - inserting the 

sticks to show where trees were needed.

Trees and spirals were then 

laid next to each stick...

...and then planting could begin.

All NCVs assumed the 

hedge planting stoop.

There was time for a break or 

two in the glorious sunshine.

Slowly, but surely, the hedge got planted

and the end was nigh.

By close of play half the trees had 

been planted. The rest are for next week.

All that remained was for the extremely 

muddy spades to be sluiced off.

ROW tasks update

As if all that hedge planting wasn't achievement enough, a group of 4 NCVs also helped Liz and NY Footpath Officer Adam to improve the state of the footpath along the river Nidd below Wilsill last Thursday. Weather conditions could have been better but that didn't stop this little band of sterling workers undertaking the momentous task of transporting tools, wood and gravel down to the work site - a footbridge that the ROW group built a few weeks ago. Here is their journey:

Having walked all the way down 

the first flower meadow below NCV 

Tony's house, the team then had to toil 

up the glacial moraine mound.

Friedy and James plodded on behind.

OK - let's get everything over the fence above the river.

That's that done. Now take everything down to the riverside.

Excellent. Next - this stream to cross.

That's it. Now - all you need to do

 is carry everything along to the 

footbridge where it is needed.

Come on Alistair. Hurry up!

These 10 bags of gravel need your attention!

There you go. Job done.

Can you spot all the new wood and all the gravel?

Probably not. All the drainage work is hidden. 

(Remember - the bridge was already there.)

However - at least the path on either side of the bridge 

is now walkable.