Rather too wet

 A wet and soggy start for 2023 at Low Wood Farm with Barry, Rob, Duncan, Val and Graham braving the elements. Despite a  mild forecast with very little rain but strong winds, the wind was not too bad but rain took its place. Apart from a brief spell of sunshine at  lunchtime it drizzled or rained all the time. Barry continued with an extensive patching while the rest tackled the large gap , now 3 metres wider, but now completed to half height.  With persistent rain returning and grey skies all round, we took an early 2pm finish. Too wet to take photos so see next week's blog

Graham D.
No Waller:5

History at Hackfall

Andy, Duncan, Rob & Barry were joined this week by Medieval History student Eloise who was keen to try out an ancient craft.
Working alongside ancient wallers was perhaps not quite what she expected but she gamely joined in the reconstruction of what was probably a 250 year-old wall.
Her transport arrangements demanded an earlier finish so she missed the spectacle of the fetching of a very fine top stone for the stile and the stretchering of it onto the wall - a four-man task! Good progress was made with further courses on the wall itself.

Barry S.

No. wallers: 5

Angling for a wall

Andy & Barry had a sociable day at the Angling Club car park, a succession of walkers & cyclists greeting us, plus a local in her car who suggested that our efforts wouldn’t last long before another large vehicle knocked things down. A tractor driver also stopped for a chat, also bemoaning the poor motoring skills of delivery drivers.
We re-aligned the roadside wall to reduce the risk of damage, using substantial footings. Joined by Roderick after lunch, we laid a further course in his good company.

 

 Barry S.

No. Wallers: 3

Bluebells in the wood

Big fleeces and waterproofs were a thing of the past when Barry, Chris, Val, Roderick, Duncan, Andy and Lycra-clad Rob (24 miles by bike as a warm-up for walling seems a bit extreme) gathered for a bit more taking down and a lot more rebuilding. The stint beyond the gate was given three hefty courses and was then reconnected with the buttress section which, by common consent, was deemed too solid and well-built to need stripping out.  We didn’t quite figure out why the wall had abruptly widened/narrowed at that point, but assumed that an earlier rebuilder had reached the same conclusion having repaired the cheek end after the gate to more normal dimensions.

Everyone was saddened to hear that this would be Roderick’s last session with the group for some, possibly considerable, time.  Half of him is relocating to Norfolk, the other to Scotland, neither of which is an easy commute to/from Nidderdale.  We wish him well on his travels.


Wild life generally was conspicuous by its absence but the bluebells in the wood behind the wall were looking splendid.

 

 

Chris G.

No. Waller:7

A nice Cycle

 Chris, Val, Andy & Rob convened for a fine morning’s dismantling of the next stint, an interesting tumbled structure, double-cased on the wood side. Barry arrived after midday and foundations were laid, Chris & Val then departing while we had a late lunch. A course of substantial stones was laid to finish the day at 3.15.
Rob amazed us by cycling from Leeds !

 

Barry S.

No. Wallers: 4

Double Trouble

 A day of mixed weather for Barry, Andy, Duncan, Val and Chris - dry, sunny morning sheltered from the wind; soggy midday hour; dry and sunny again in the afternoon.

The team completed the stretch of wall between the stile and the gate - a thin course followed by cover bands and double toppers.

 

 

 

Chris G.

No. Wallers 5

Rainy Days

 

Three Wallers (Andy, Duncan and Rod) braved the cold and added a course on each side up to the gate.  Just a thin course and the toppers to finish.

Just one lone walker passed by and she stopped to chat and admire the wall.

The weather forecast was correct and the rain turned to sleet so we called it a day at 12:30. 

Duncan S.

No. Wallers: 3