That sinking feeling

As the sweet smell of the bog wafted up our nostrils for the umpteenth time today, I'm sure Barry, Graham, Rod, Matthew all joined me in thinking ourself very fortunate that we'd swapped the bright sunny vistas at Markenfield for the odoriferous sinking sensation at Ivin Waite.

Despite first inspection seeming to suggest that things had well and truly dried out, first inspection suggestion were wrong. It was wet underfoot and more importantly under foundations. We lugged a few big stones into the bottom of the wall and hoped for the best. Another 2 weeks should see the back of that particular stretch and then it's just the wall return and a small gapping job to do.

Such an accommodating landscape

Before work began

Pondering our predicament

Foundations! Yes that's right Foundations

At the close of the day

T'other side - at the end of the day - after Rod had put the fence back in place

Richard H.
No. Wallers: 5

Garlic and sunshine

The woods behind and around us were filled with garlic and blue bells for our final week at Markenfield.
Catriona, Barry and I were able to do a fair bit of walling in-between greeting the passing walkers, but we didn't managed to finish the section before we move on to Ivin Waite.

The wall at break time front an back

Lunch time

The end of the day

Richard H.
No. of wallers: 3

No Hare here, but deer over there.

I tried to put most of you off with the promise of terrible weather, but I had consulted the wrong oracle and the day turned out rather splendidly. Thankfully Barry, Val and Chris had gleaned their forecast from a more reliable source and informed me of my misguided ways. As I met them at the car park the clouds parted the rains stopped and the sun shone, I claim no causal relationship.

Graham joined us a 11ish and we were able to finish off and top a further section of the wall.

The day was book ended by close encounters with a thankfully docile Bull. The morning saw a deer  of some description (the N.T. deer wardens may be able shed more light on the specific flavour of deer) leaping about the fields, and the return journey back to the car was notable for the presence of a pheasant hen trying to hide in a puddle as we walked just a yard or two either side of her.

Nice bit of bulge where the original foundations stuck out.

A preview of next years Markenfield joy.

Richard H.

No of wallers: 5.

Markenfield Hall in the sun

With the promise of a sunny, warm and dry outlook, where else would you wish to spend a day walling.

Guess who was early again before the team arrived

 

Today the team of Barry, Catriona, Graham, Richard and Tony where joined by Liz (our new AONB walling co-ordinator).

Liz gets started with guidance from Barry

Richard wonders if this stone will fit on the wall

Richard steps up to the occasion

Lunchtime 

At last the big stone fits on the wall

After laying at least three courses along a 15 metre length, it was time to think about closing down 

Barry is the last to stop work

No of wallers 6

Tony

Two Dicks

Graham, Matthew and I were joined on a half day of walling Richard who we last saw in the baking sun up at Wath when we were being supervised by Beauty the horse.
Conditions were very different today and we knocked it on the head at lunch time when the first signs of rain appeared. I felt a bit of a wuss as we walked back but our decision was vindicated upon reaching the car park as the rain came down in earnest.

Delicious Cake & Writings on the wall

A cold but mercifully dry day was enlivened by a veritable feast provided by Val. A lovely moist Simnel Cake was a splendid starting point for our indulgent morning, this was followed by an equally delightful coffee cake just to top up the energy levels. Thanks very much Val.
Turning to matters of walling Roderick, Graham, Val, Chris, Barry and I could not work out who it was that was trying to write their name in the wall. The beginnings of a lower-case r (as seen in the first picture below) point to me, but I wasn't working on that section of wall. Chris, despite working on that section, also disavowed the work, having started on the course above.
Must have be some interloper.
A good days  saw some decent progress on two sections of wall, the clearing of a whole new section and the removal of a large tree stump.

Roderick finds a comfortable spot from which to admire his work

Thanks to Graham for the bottom 2 pictures

Richard H.

Wallers:6

March Hare time at Markenfield

Unfortunately I arrived too late to get a picture of the hares leaping in the field, but I was reliably informed by the early starters (Catriona, Matthew and Roderick) that they had been sighted.  Later starters were Tony, Mark and Richard.

The task today was to complete the topping out of the current section and strip out the next section.

Where better to sit whilst having lunch

Roderick decides to look down on his fellow wallers

Topping out completed just after the lunch break

The next section stripped out ready for rebuilding 

Time to depart 

No of wallers - 6
Tony H