Toft Gate: 11-05-2021

 

KEEP RIGHT ON TO THE END OF THE ROAD.....

Devils for punishment? Masochists? Mad? Just plain perverse? 

Pick any one of these as a descriptor of the NCVs who returned to Toft Gate lime kiln this week, knowing full well what lay ahead. Same applies to those who turned out for the first time, knowing what was in store after having read last week's blog 

Yes - it was more of the same footpath restoration work as previously carried out, although not nearly so much turf removal AND much more benign weather conditions. Phew!! We even had the songs of lapwings and sky larks to listen to.

If you remember, the NCVs managed to remove encroaching turf from about 4/5  of the path and then lay gravel along about a third of its length (I think the blog stated half last week - sadly this was found to be an over estimate!), so there was still a good deal to do. Let's see them soldiering on shall we?

This week everyone had first to walk down to the far end 

of the path where the next gravel heap had been delivered.

Andrew and Dave got busy on removing grass from

 the remainder of the upper level of path.

Dave was already on his knees with the effort within 10 minutes.

Meanwhile Ken and Paul got busy on the same task, 

working their way backwards from the very end of the path.

Paul, too, was on his knees from the start. However - 

he did have an excuse as he had cycled all the way from Grewelthorpe,

 including up Greenhow Hill.

(Now - before you give him too much admiration 

bear in mind he was on an electric bike.....)

The rest of the 17 strong team got busy with gravelling.

Before they could start, pick axes had to be wielded 

in order to break up the heap that had set, 

concrete like, after all the rain the previous day.

Once the gravel was able to be shovelled there was, 

as you would expect, a lot of toing and froing,

 carting it to where it was needed.

Unfortunately some had to be barrowed ALL the way up the path, 

almost back to the car park, to fill in the gap that we had 

(in retrospect unwisely) ignored last week.

With the extra manpower this week the 

barrows were arriving thick and fast.

(Adrian - please ensure that all the gravel stays

 on the path and doesn't go on the grass!)

However - the expert rakers and tampers 

coped admirably under pressure.

This expert in multi-tasking even managed to 

continue tamping whilst fielding phone calls.

Work began at this point (apart from the bit up near the car park).

By coffee time the newly laid gravel wasn't far off 

the hairpin bend. We were level with the furthest rake on the left.

Within half an hour after coffee we had reached the hairpin 

and already started down the final stretch. Woo Hoo! 

It was going to be an early finish!

Question - would there be enough gravel to finish the job?

It was looking a bit dubious.

Ken and Dave didn't help the situation by taking an executive 

decision to create a 'turning circle' at the end of the path. 

This meant that extra gravel was needed.

(Last time we leave those two alone on a job!)

However, with some judicious re-arranging of some slightly

 thicker patches of stone, the turning circle was complete. Just. 

Wheelchair users should find it helpful. 

All that needed doing now was to clean off the tools and barrows.

Everything had a first wash in a barrow....

...before being passed on to the shower room.

Here Brenda was on pump priming duty 

whilst Liz hosed off the final layer of dirt.

By noon everyone was able to relax over their lunch, 

secure in the knowledge that the job was well and truly finished!

Toft Gate: 04-05-2021

CAUTION ROADWORKS!

This week the NCVs took themselves off up to Toft Gate lime kiln at Greenhow. They were refurbishing the footpath that allows visitors to view the lime kiln at close quarters. It was almost 3 years to the day since they finished the same job last time it was done. After 3 years you can imagine that a little bit of TLC was needed. This is how we left it at the end of our last visit (note the blue sky and shorts):

And this was how we found it at the start of this week's session (no blue sky or shorts - just strong wind, heavy cloud and a VERY cold temperature!):

Hmmmm. Some work to do to restore it to its former glory then. OK thought the NCVs. Let's get busy with the spades, mattocks and wheelbarrows again.

Before long Tom and Ken were singing 

a highly appropriate chain gang song.

No one can swing a mattock like our Paul.

Anyone in need of a good pair of bookends?

As the grass was lifted, so it was carted off to be

 dumped in a nearby hollow. This was not an easy task as

(a) the barrow had to be pushed uphill and 

(b) the sides of the hollow were steep so the barrow 

could easily run away from its pusher!

When it was noticed that Dave A. had been in this position 

for a good 5 mins without moving it was decided

 a coffee break was due. 

Manacles were unlocked to allow the chain 

gang to reach their rucksacks.

When these two were complimented on their social distancing 

the reasons given were copious amounts of sheep poo, 

mole hills and nettles.

Once a good section of path had been cleared of grass 

a number of NCVs turned their attention to transporting

 gravel from the heap in the car park to the path.

Thanks to the previous night's rain each kilo of gravel weighed at least two.

Sometimes the barrows arrived singly.

More often they arrived in twos or threes.

This kept the rakers and tampers on their toes.

The loneliness of the long distance tamper.

By close of play about half the path was gravelled 

and two thirds of the remaining half uncovered 

and ready for finishing off.

The weather had at least stayed dry. Phew! 

(2 hours later it was, apparently, snowing on Greenhow!!!.)

Although, it wasn't quite close of play.

Back in the car park these large holes had to be 

filled with the remaining gravel.

Groans were heard....

There was a mad frenzy of gravel shifting 

with gravel being flung in all directions..

Within half an hour the holes were filled and 

the NCVs could take themselves off home, very tired 

but secure in the knowledge that a good job had been done.

In spite of being worn out the two bag ladies couldn't 

resist a quick once over of the car park with their litter picker.

They had no idea what this thing was!!

Old Spring Wood: 27-04-2021

 

DON'T MISS 

THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY IN 
OLD SPRING WOOD 

It was back to Old Spring Wood for the first time since July 2020, when the NCVs were busy bashing bracken. This week there was no bracken in sight so why did they need to go there? 

The fact is that there were a number of battles to fight. So, without any further ado, let's take up our seats around the boxing rings - socially distanced and wearing masks mind!

Seconds out - round one. DING!

Ring one:

In the blue corner:

Bluebells

In the red corner:

Holly

Unfortunately holly is fast encroaching the area of the lower wood where bluebells grow in profusion. The character of the woodland is changing, Under each oak tree is a holly tree. Whilst some can remain others need to be taken out to let the light get to the woodland floor. So - no need for bracken sticks - just loppers, bow saws and sturdy gloves. Let's see which of the two opponents came out on top. Holly may be robust and prickly but the biuebells have got the NCVs on their side.

(Please note - anyone concerned about nesting birds need not worry. Only those trees next to the busy main footpath were worked on and each was carefully checked for nests before work began. All the rest of the trees will have to wait until the autumn.)

The nature of the problem.

The start of the solution.

Heaps of prickly brash was soon generated along the path.

As it arrived so it was deployed as a dead hedge.

This will provide a good habitat for wildlife AND 

act as a deterrent to walkers and dogs going off-piste

 through the bluebells and nesting areas.

What a difference!

Many metres of hedge were erected throughout the day.

Additionally all the fallen timber along the pathway 

was collected and piled as a barrier to this

 newly appeared path that shouldn't be there.

Ring two:

In the blue corner:

Health and safety

In the red corner:

Dead conifers

A second group of brave NCVs were tasked with making an area of felled conifer a little safer for us to work in the summer when the bracken needs bashing. Each year the team has to negotiate hidden tree trunks and branches. It was now time to fight back whilst the enemy was visible!

This was NOT going to be a walkover for the team.

It was a particularly spikey fight but the opponent 

had not been looking after itself and its rotten 

nature made things a little easier.

An Olympic weight lifter in training.

Luckily Andrew had partaken of porridge, 4 shredded wheats 

and a big bowl of spinach for breakfast.

By the end of the round the team had 

created a giant habitat pile big enough for 

several dozen hedgehogs or a family of hobbits. 

These are not the hobbits!

By the end of the match the area was MUCH

 safer to work in later  in the year.

The woodpile is just as useful to the invertebrates 

and fungi as were the fallen tree trunks that now make it up.

Ring three:

In the blue corner:

The handymen

In the red corner:

The vandals

Another team of NCVs were working to repair the damage caused over a year ago by a different foe - vandals. The lovely interpretation board that had been so well restored in recent times had been brutally uprooted and the frame destroyed. Other reserve signs at two of the 6 entrances had been knocked down and damaged. It was now time to fight back.....

Now - what would you like me to do with this piece of wood Alistair?

Yes - that did the trick nicely. Now visitors can read all 

about the history of this old woodland again.

(Please note that Countryfile star Andy (right) is happy to 

send you a signed copy of this photo. SAE to PO box 123)

Ring four:

In the blue corner:

The bag ladies

In the red corner:

Things that were in places they shouldn't be.

Yes - the NCVs' very own bag lady and her able assistant choose to scour the wood for litter, old tree tubes and any holly dangling down at head height along the paths.

There was a scattering of empty tubes up near the top wall.

Not any more!!

Other tubes were still in place but completely 

unnecessary and damaging the trees.

As well as holly dangling down there were some 

young saplings here and there.

These just had to go before they took over and 

crowded out the bilberry understory.

Team bag ladies won this round.

That brings us to the end of another successful day of volunteering.

What a result - blue corners 4; red corners 0!

Three pictures taken from outside the boxing rings:

A narcissistic roe deer waited long enough to be 

captured on camera before running off with 

the rest of his group.

This beetle did not set off any beetlemania

 but was interesting never-the-less

Liz is now deploying a drone to keep a

 watchful eye on her volunteers.