Ten Go To Winksley

OK so it wasn't the easiest site to find but, in the end, ten of us made it to the Winksley pinfold which made for some tricky manoeuvres once we got started. 

Richard set up his tripod and camera so we could look forward to 'Winksley - The (Slightly Jerky) Movie as he snapped the various stages of stripping out and reconstruction.  The Grahams, Phillip and Roger tackled the smaller of the two gaps while the Ems, Paul, Richard, Tony and myself stripped out the larger stint and began reconstruction. (Note: interesting that the original wall had mainly stringers throughout and very few stones with their length built into the wall).  (Note2: The inside of the pinfold was the 'pretty' side with larger, more uniform stone as opposed to more random coursing on the field side).

By t'end o' t'day the smaller section was complete and looking handsome and the main gap had risen four courses from its new foundations.  One more week (two tops) should see it done.

Thanks everybody.

So we'll go to Markenfield no more... the saga endeth here

This belated post (which will magically arrive in the correct order by web based jiggery pokery) is the final hurrah from Markenfield Hall, well for now anyway.

The final week was graced by the presence of Richard (younger), Phillip, Roger and me (Em 1).  A small but valiant team dedicated to getting the copes on that wall come what may.

What didn't come was transportation for stone!  We were expecting this so crafted a well laid plan of loading up the boot of my car with copes and driving them down the deeply rutted track to get as close to the wall as possible.  Needless to say it wasn't close enough but it made a huge difference and Richard and I only lost about 3 inches in height rather than the foot we would have lost carting the stone the whole way from the barn.  Well done to my poor Rav 4 she's not used to going off road for real and she did all the hard work (her mistress frankly bleating about getting stuck!).

Meanwhile back at the wall face Phillip and Roger steadily added our contributions to the last remaining uncapped section of wall.  The final stones were in place shortly after lunch and we dedicated the rest of our time to chucking... er tidying the left over stone to the non visible side of the wall and filling the breach between the new wall and old wall.

After a hard days slog we sat back and admired our handiwork.

So pastures new have been plumbed at Winksley and our taster day is fast approaching, who knows where and when we shall meet again but we'll be back at Markenfield Hall again at a later date to tackle the ongoing challenge know only as the Park Pale.

Bye for now, Em

So near and yet ...

Well, we thought it might be our last visit to Markenfield, for some time at least but, nay lad, there's work to be done yet.

Another grand turnout with Paul, Roger, Catriona, both Richards and both Grahams, M1 and Phillip all putting in a final supreme effort.  Having scrambled around on Stone Mountain for a while, we managed to assemble a reasonable stack of cope-like rubbish and Bryon turned up (despite bruised ribs) with his venerable dump-truck to transport the spoils up to site.  So far so good.

Some remedial work on the existing wall produced a better-looking end result but the stone wasn't in a terribly co-operative mood and we had neither the materials, patience or energy to finish the job.  So it's another week at Markenfield.

Welcome light relief from our labours came in the form of M2 who brought guests, Boogie, shortbread and ... ta-daaa! ... FIZZ for a (slightly premature) topping out ceremony to be enjoyed by all and especially sundry.  Sincere thanks to Em for that.

Photos still elude me but I'll fill in the gaps when I can (unless any dear reader wants to do so?).

So we'll go no more to Markenfield ...

Well, perhaps just one more time.  Chilly today but mercifully dry with a brace of Ems, ditto of Grahams, a single Richard (the Younger), Catriona, Roger and Mr Chairman (as I am absolutely never known).

Between us we finished off the remainder of the stretch up to the gatepost.  Another section of the old wall had obligingly fallen over during the week, thus exposing all manner of new raw material which we fell upon (not literally altho' ...).  We now have a very passable imitation of a wall end and some tidy piles of surplus stone for next time. 

I have contacted Sarah to ask if she can arrange for a trailer/dumper to be at the barn next week so that we can muster such copes as can be located, ship them up to the wall and finish of with some half-decent toppers.  That's the plan anyway.

Would anyone reading this drivel please signal as soon as possible whether they will be available next week so that we can be sure of adequate numbers to finish the project by close of play.

Many thanks to those who showed today - I think we can all be well satisfied with what we have achieved at Markenfield especially given the rather 'mixed' materials at our disposal.

Apologies again for the absence of photos - PC and camera still not on speaking terms.

A belated salute to the brave

Whoops!  Forgot to blog Wednesday 22nd February.

Most of you deduced from the Met Office gloom that it was not going to be much of a day, and you were right. Nevertheless, five (fool)hardy souls turned out and it's a 'big up' to the Richard twins, Phillip and Roger for having braved the elements.

Actually the first part of the morning was merely damp and it was only towards lunchtime that life turned properly soggy. Meantime, we pressed on with the final stint, intending always to build into the good-looking stretch of existing wall by the gatepost. 

Yes, well, the best laid plans and all that.  Seeking to consolidate a slightly dodgy end section, we removed a few teetering stones and the rest followed suit with the gentlest of rumbles.  Cue expletives and executive decision to forestall further tumbles in the section of wall not yet surveyed by FOMH by building a wall end to finish off with.  Looking good so far though stone selection is a little .... challenging.

No action as yet on copes - maybe this week?

The end is in sight ...

With advance apologies for the absence of photos (will publish later  when I can persuade PC and camera to talk to one another) a quick update on walling today.

One of those rather pretty English late-winter days with low sunshine and a sharpish breeze to remind us that spring is still some way round the corner, though rather closer than it appeared to the hardy souls who showed up last week.

The end really is now in sight - photos taken today include the target gatepost without the use of wide-angle lenses.  Yet another good turnout of wallers and thanks to Roger, Phillip, Catriona and a brace each of Richards and Grahams for making us 8 in all.  It was hi and goodbye to Emma II who has injured her hand and sensibly opted to go walkies instead.

The last bit of stripping out and the last foundations were completed and the wall continued its gentle uphill march with the penultimate stint just a couple of courses below coping stone level.  No action on copes as yet but maybe next week.  By my reckoning (fallible to the last) we should be done in another three sessions.

I will talk to Madame Secretary (and the Lord High Treasurer if he ever stops galivanting) about our next project but I will be voting for the pinfold project at Winksley which needs only three or four visits.  We can then select our next big one from a growing list.

Thanks again everybody.

PS who was last week's mystery guest?

Tales from the frozen north!

Brrrrr...

Well, it's unsurprising that we had a low turnout this week, what with the mercury dropping to a teeth chattering -1 degrees c this morning.

Three intrepid (there is another word for us but this isn't the place) wallers headed out into the hostile elements. They stepped out, they may be some time...

Thank you, thank you, Roger and Catriona for flying the flag, it was freezing and miserable with no sunshine to warm us!

Undeterred by the inhospitable weather and the fact that a lot of the stones were frozen to the ground we pushed on and managed to throw up a couple of courses. We stuck it out until lunch when the cold finally overcame the weakest member of the team (ie me!) and we called it a day or morning to be more accurate!

We were visited by an old friend who hasn't been seen in a while, he came for coffee and didn't wall, we'll let him off this time!

I see from the forecast that we are in for more fun weather tomorrow, but it's not a walling day so I'll watch it from the window and enjoy.

See you in a couple of weeks, Em

The evidence that we did actually turn up is below!