The last stones of the Year

Four wallers turned up to finish off at St Cuthbert's playing field on the last walling day of the year. There was a largish section knocked over by the growth of an inconsiderate tree and a very small section that had fallen out from under the cemented toppers.
I saw to the small section, while Barry, Roderick, and Matthew did the larger section.

The small section what I did

Barry and Roderick safely behind the warning tape

 We solemnly re-interred the Citron 2CV (correction - I had erroneously called this a C4 - quite preposterous! Thanks for the heads up Matthew!), which we had found earlier in the build, in the middle of the wall, with full rites.

   

All done - except for the piles of cement everywhere.

Richard H
No. of Wallers: 4

Grid Ref:  SE 15729 65925

Nearing the finish line

Despite the cold 6 wallers turned up and, with foggy breath, discussed a strategy for the day. It was decided that we would split into two groups to finish the two remaining section.
Elaine, Matthew, Barry tackled the more arduous of the two gaps with a large tree and a rather high retaining element to contend with.
Graham, Catriona and I  started the easier section next to the unintentional coppice.
We managed to finish the easier section and are about half way through the more difficult repair.

'Ere's some pictures.

The retaining section showing the wall as it was demolition and then progress throughout the day

This is the other section, worked on by Graham, Catriona and me. Showing the wall as was, a bit of demolition, and then the rebuilt and completed wall!!

The finished wall

Richard H
No. of Wallers: 6

Grid Ref:  SE 15729 65925

St Cuthbert's Stream

Catriona, Graham, Mitch and I were lucky to witness the formation of  new geograhical feature this Wednesday. A lovely new stream of about 1 foot width which was is 2 to 3 feet from the wall has provided a lovely new feature to the playing field. It started in earnest by our curved section and really got a good flow on by the section we have recently been working on.
Despite the added awkwardness presented by this new water course we were able to finish the section off. We now have 2 more collapses to deal with before we move on to pastures new, in the hope that they are less lush and verdant than the current wetland terrain.

Before Lunch

 The end of the day - with the beck still in full flow to the bottom left of shot.

The end of the day

Stop the press - just as we were going to print Graham sent this photo through. 

 

'You have seemlessly morphed into a tree which looks as if it is walling'

Richard H.

No. of Waller: 4

Grid Ref:  SE 15729 65925

St Cuthbert's Primary School

Graham and Barry arrived at the playing fields to be greeted with bright sunshine pouring rain. Thankfully a cup of coffee and a sit in the car drove the bad weather off and they were able to do a bit of walling. Here are the results.

No. of wallers: 2
Gid Ref:  SE 15729 65925

The Oscars and St Cuthbert's Primary School - Sports Field Wall

Like our colleagues in the AONB Conservation Volunteers group we attended the Harrogate & District Volunteers Oscars ceremony on Friday 28 October, at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, to hear we had been successful in winning the "Environment Volunteer of the Year" award. 

Tony. Matthew, Richard H & Richard P

  

After the excitement at the Oscars event, it was back to further work on the Sports field wall, but not before we had a display of the "certificate" and "trophy" with the team in their work clothes.

Mitch, Richard H, Richard P, Matthew & Tony

Many thanks to Richard P for obtaining copies of the certificate for all the group members. We also wish him well as he makes his final appearance on Nidderdale walls before he moves to Rutland.

At close of play around the Elm tree gap

 

The finished top gap

Someone forget to collect the trophy

Tony

St Cuthbert's Primary School - Sports Field Wall

Today we welcomed back Richard Plummer before he makes a final move to Rutland. The other team members were Barry, Matthew, Mitch, Richard H and Tony.  The team was split into two groups - one to complete the top gap and the other to rebuild a collapsing section of the wall around a mature elm tree.

Matthew and the two Richards tackle the top gap

Barry, Mitch and Tony get to work on removing the cemented toppers embedded in the tree

After stripping the wall back, the rebuild gets under way

Just the toppers to place on the top gap at close of play

The "elm tree" gap at close of play

Tony