I wandered lonely as a..

Clouds!  We'd almost forgotten what they look like after so many days of glorious sunshine but there they were offering some relief from the blazing sun. 

So making the most of the modest weather we carried on piling on the courses and digging out whatever large stone we could find to help us raise the height of the wall.

We were joined by Kit who did some heavy haulage work and Kev (a proper waller!) who had itchy fingers and added a few stones to the wall - every little helps! Soon we might even be joined by the bees, although we have been assured they can be locked up on Wednesdays so that we can wall without being stung.

The adventurous bunch this week were; Phillip, Paul, Richard (senior), Catriona & Roger

See you next week

Em

NAWG goes global

From time to time we are joined by people who are just passing through or visiting Nidderdale who have heard about us and the work we do and this week was just such an occasion.  We were glad to welcome Mick who has come from Australia just to enjoy some walling with us, oh and he might be seeing other parts of the UK at the same time but really that pales in comparison to walling with us!

It was a glorious day in Nidderdale, the sun beating down and the best views from Sparrowhawk Farm across the dale.  However, not always the best weather for walling as it's hard work, but we slogged on in the sun and managed to throw up several courses around the wall.

We worked on filling in the gap between the low end and high end of the wall and generally raising the height of the rest of the wall.

As we sweltered on through we all had a fantastic day out in the sunshine, the sunburned few were; Chris, Richard Senior, Richard Junior, Paul, Phillip and of course Mick.

See you next week, Em

not sure what happened here, for some reason it won't turn round :-/

The day after...

Well, we headed back up to Sparrowhawk Farm on Wednesday to carry on walling (could be a film in that!)

We had a sunnier day than the Tuesday which is unusual since we seem to be visited by the type of weather only seen in biblical times when we venture up that hill.

A few more courses were added to the wall and fun was had trying to keep walling horizontally round corners, we like a challenge!  I was joined on our pleasant afternoon by Chris, Catriona, Richard and Graham D and we enjoyed lovely scones courtesy of Kit and Megan.

See you next week

Em

A taste of Tuesday walling

Well, firstly, apologies for the late blogs they have been safely tucked away in my head and hadn't made it into digital print!

This week sees a first for the walling and conservation groups in the AONB, we've mashed things up and ventured out on a Tuesday to give the AONB's Nature Conservation Volunteers or NCV a taste of what we get up to on a Wednesday.

First we'll need a bit of history...

A long time ago in an AONB well quite close by really, there was a group of volunteers who worked to improve the AONB, walls and all!  At some point the walls were tackled by a new group on Wednesdays who went on to become the NAWG! ie us.

The NCV still meet on Tuesdays and tackle bracken bashing, woodland/wetland management and other practical conservation jobs that need carrying out around the AONB, on occasion they also wall.

So our Tuesday Taster session is part of an ongoing programme of knowledge sharing between the various parts of the AONB, there have been woodland management talks, identification lessons and training events so far and there is a lot more planned for the rest of the year.

We had dull but not unpleasant weather and we were joined by Graham, Tony, Howie and Ros from the NCV and Chris, Paul and me from the NAWG - we are reaching an acronym meltdown I think!

We had a good session up at Sparrowhawk Farm and managed to get a few courses stacked up, there was plenty of banter and I hope we were able to pass on our enthusiasm for the craft and tempt our Tuesday brethren out on a Wednesday.

We'll be back with Wednesday's activities next, Em

A break in the weather ...

'Muck and bullets' just about sums up April's weather and the same pattern seems set to plague May as well.  So we were particularly lucky on Wednesday 9th May to be complaining about the heat and removing winter layers as the Sparrowhawk wall grew by a course or three.

I was joined by Graham, Catriona, Roger, both Richards and newbie Tony who finally got to bang a few stones together after his taster day experience of grovelling around in mud and, as we have since discovered, the ever-present sheep muck.  Clearly the man is not easily put off and will be a great asset to the team.  Mind you, he did say that he wasn't sure when we would see him again!

Kit joined us briefly ... just long enough to deliver delicious apple pie and Victoria sponge.  Faced with the dilemma of which to choose, your chairman naturally chose both without a trace of shame or embarrassment.

At close of play the day's efforts were clearly visible, though not to blog readers as, once again, I forgot my camera.  Sorreee!  Next Tuesday we have our Taster Day for the other AONB volunteers.  They will have a range of courses to have a go at, so there should be something for everyone.  Any NAWG member who feels like turning up for an extra day's walling would be more than welcome.

See you next week?

Sparrowhawk Farm pictures - 2 May 2012

                                  Roger's stone carrier comes to the rescue.

                                                  

                                          The foundations are joined together

                                                  The second course has started

                                                  One end of the half circle begins to rise

 

                                                  At close of play

The finer things in life

It has to be said that there is really not much to beat being up at Sparrowhawk Farm in good weather, we could see the mist clinging to Greenhow but we were spared and even treated to a burst of sunshine later in the afternoon. 

The good weather has a remarkable effect on a days walling and we surged on until 3pm this week, largely helped on by a tasty dose of scones and jam from lovely Kit and Meg at the Farm.  Really there can be nothing better!

Down to business...

We had a healthy turnout again this week, I was joined by Chris, 2 Grahams, Richard, Catriona, Roger, Phillip and Tony.

Between us we managed to haul some more stones out of the old wall and completed the foundations by lunchtime (ish).  We also made a brave start on two wall ends and despite the swearing they are looking good.  Now we just have to see if we can wall uphill and round in a circle without losing our sanity!  The outcome will be anything but guaranteed, I'm not sure that we are all sane to begin with but heyho.

I'm afraid that I was too busy enjoying myself to take pictures this week but Tony was seen with his camera so with a bit of luck he'll add them later.

See you next week, hopefully with some more lovely weather, Em.