U2

No building today.  Graham spent the morning tidying up the site and moving stone along the wall while Barry started dismantling the next section , up to the stile.  Graham joined him in the afternoon and half the wall is now spread out on the grass.  This relatively small section is remarkable in terms of the numbers of throughs and the amount of good quality facing stone.  Photos show the wall at the start of the day but I  forgot to take some at the end - please see next week's blog!.  Contents of the wall included a very old corroded U2 battery.  A lovely dry day despite some very dark looking clouds.

 

 

Graham D.
No. Wallers: 2
 

Little lambs eat ivy

Catriona, Rod and I enjoyed the spectacle of a bit of sheep wrangling prior to our walling stint. Ably carried out by Andrews son, who had also very kindly brought us a trailer load of stone. Our morning was spent sorting the stone, which was again of the rather chunky variety. 

We took a few off the very small stone used in extremis last week and rebuilt to two courses shy of the top. We might eke out 1 more course with what we have but more stone will be needed to get us to the top.

Some of the safely corralled lambs came to visit us as we left, having escaped their new pastures for old. Our decision to finish early at 2.30 seemed justified  as the hail started in earnest just a few minutes journey down the road.

 

Extra Photos Courtesy of Rod

Richard H.
No. Wallers: 3

An important guest!

Successful day in mostly fine weather apart from the odd short hail flurry.
Finished the section apart from toppers. Look at the way that Barry is daintily adding the final fill to a superb facing wall!

Liz came to make sure that we were OK.

 

Graham D.
No. Wallers: 2

Rod, Tony and Catriona  more or less brought the wall up to the height it was when it was dismantled, but apart from very large and mostly misshapen stones which will match the existing toppers, there is very little walling stone left.Andrew has promised more stone from a mystery location will be delivered in due course.

The wall at Lunchtime

Rod. B
Photo- Tony
No. Wallers: 3

Bit chilly and some very noisy geese. Better progress this week from Barry, Duncan and Graham. Some very neat walling by Barry on the facing side and some interesting cobble walling on the other!

 

 

Graham D.
No. Waller: 3

A nice clear but slightly chilly day to restart at Fellbeck.  Andrew's Dogs were there to welcome us with a rousing chorus, and things were very much as we left them one and a half years ago.

Fair progress was made but we all sighed heavily at 2:30 and decided nuff was nuff. Our backs agreed!  Liz Milner caught us having lunch and was pleased to see folk out again. All gates closed. 

 

Chris G & Richard H.

No. Wallers: 4

Graham, Duncan & Barry arrived in good time & exchanged reunion greetings at Markenfield after release from lockdown restrictions this week. The public footpath across the field adjacent to the car park has now been fenced on both sides as a narrow beast-free passage. However, we didn’t explore this access route as the wheelbarrow dropped off by Barry at the bridle path to the east needed a smoother surface on which to roll, so we all took the longer route round.

Graham’s repair of the wall end at the field junction had again been damaged by careless tractor driving, we were disappointed to note.

An ambitious placing of the line meant that a search was needed for limestone of sufficient height on the first course to be laid, while the sandstone cobbles on the other side were more plentiful. Graham opted to uncover, grade, and lay out the already stored stone while Barry & Duncan began to build, swopping places during the morning. Rich paid a short visit having supervised the other walling team start at Fellbeck, and offered words of encouragement, the mutual feelings of pleasure at being back to walling shared amongst us. Lunch was taken early and work then continued until 1.30pm for a short first-day back, and the lengthy return along the track (with the wheelbarrow that wasn't needed - one already on site!), bone dry in contrast to Fogfield's ground conditions.

Pictures at close of play.

 

 

 

Barry S.

No. Wallers - 3