Smaden Head Farm: 03-11-2026

Put on your blue suede 

mountain goat shoes. 

Almost two years ago the NCVs spent no fewer than three Tuesdays planting hedges at Smaden Head near Eavestone Lake. Regular readers may remember them trialing a new fitness plan on one of the days and a mindfulness course on another - neither of which went down very well with either the NCVs or the trainers.

On this visit the gang were due to replace some trees that had failed (not in the hedges but in a plantation) - due to two extremely dry conditions over the last two summers. Liz's email came with a health and safety warning. The task would be 'tricky'; we would be working on 'steep terrain'; anyone 'wobbly on their feet' would be advised to give the task a miss; those brave enough to come along should 'bring their mountain goat shoes'.

Despite these dire warnings no fewer than 12 NCVs were brave enough to turn up. All were wearing the latest in Mountain Goat footwear and looking more or less un-wobbly. So - how did they get on? Did they all come out alive? Did the mountain rescue team need calling out? Read on to find out...... 

As the NCVs gathered 

the trees were prepared.

All 250 of them.

Now - that doesn't sound many....

...but, given the terrain 

it was not a job that would 

be done by lunchtime.

Team Bog started off in 

a dreadful, rushy gully, crossing

streams along the way.

Team Bracken started working

their way down the near vertical

slope, checking each tube as they went.

On and on..

...and on they went. Checking;

planting; checking; planting.

Osian gave new volunteer Hugh

a lesson on tree planting...

...and, at one point, Liz wondered if 

she could find an excuse to return to 

the barn to fetch something important.

Everyone was relieved to break 

for lunch under the oak tree.

After lunch the final bunch of 30 trees 

were taken back down the hill and

 then up the other side of the valley

to be inserted before time was called.

So - no need for emergency services, but there were probably a number of NCVs ready for their beds by 7pm!!!!