Goodbye to Beauty at Spring Wood Top

Back for a final session to complete topping out the bottom wall and tidying up three gaps. With a crowd of three (Matthew, Richard and Tony) the hope was that we would be finished by lunch time.

A small collapse near the main gate before and after Richard and Matthew got at it - also showing the fine finished work by Tony (top right of right hand photo)

Protective measures in place whilst Beauty is around

The bottom wall is completed

and the corner wall as well

The final gap is nearly complete and Beauty is never far away from the action

The last topper is placed

The long view makes all the joints seem ever so good.

The other side!

The finished wall from last week showing the gate in place

 

 

Just one more stone to move - I don't think so

and goodbye to Beauty

Richard & Tony

Gate Wall finished

Three wallers turned up on a warm but misty morning at Wath. We met Tom Wheelwright at the Sportsman's Arms car park and he kindly offered to bring some more coping stone up to us.

Things got of to a flying start when Beauty the horse decided to pinch Roderick’s hat (again) and take it for a spin round the field with Roderick in pursuit. Hat retrieved Roderick, Matthew and I made reasonable progress.

We were joined by Richard III at lunch time. Who helped us crack on and we were able to put the, very heavy, toppers on by the end of the day.

But the fun did not end there. Having driven through think fog in the morning I had put my lights on, I did not however switch them off upon arrival. I returned from walling to one very dead battery. Thankfully the rest of the gang knew how to resolve the issue and I'm very grateful to them for pushing me slowly backward and then much faster forwards to give the battered old Polo a kick start.
Thank you very much Matthew, Rod, and Richard.

 

Richard.

No. Wallers - 4

Grid Ref: SE 14735 68149

Warm wet walling

Catriona, Graham, Barry, Matthew and I were joined by Matthews neighbour Richard (no sooner does one departs than another one turns up!) for a sunny and hot days walling at Spring Wood Top. Matthew (again) kindly ferried everyones kit to the top and we split into two groups, Catriona and Graham working on the lower section, the rest of us had a go at finishing the wall with the gate at the end. Richard and I were helped no end in our endeavours by the more than sufficient amount of very soggy mud underfoot. Matthew and Barry worked on the dry side.

Neither group succeeded in their aim to finish but Graham and Catriona were all but an unhelping hand from completion, with Barry and I doing a great job of dismantling parts they had already finished. Sorry.  

It must be noted that my call to arms prediction that we might finish this week was wildly optimistic, and we may indeed need another couple of weeks to finish off all the small gaps and falls that require attention. 

Lunch time up near the house

Mid afternoon at the gate section

The end of the day at the Gate end wall

The end of the day at the lower wall

 

Richard

No. Waller: 6

Grid Ref: SE 14735 68149

Slightly Soggy Spring Wood Top

A group of 5 made their way to the top of Spring Wood. Catriona bumped her car to the top with Roderick as ballast. Paul hitched a ride on a farm vehicle and Graham and I (Richard H.) used up a bit of shoe leather after having met Tom Wheelwright at base camp. Tom agreed to ferry up some extra stone in his 4x4 cart after he had visited Pateley.
We made some good progress despite the rather soggy conditions on the field side of the wall, but we are again facing the possibility of a shortage of stone. 
Thankfully we were glad to receive two cart loads of stone from Tom in the afternoon.
We were passed throughout the day by the usual assortment of farm vehicles walkers and cyclists. Towards the end of the day Graham and I were very disappointed to see two fellows pushing their bicycles to the top but didn't feel as though we could comment, being as we were on the easier downward journey.

Here's the progress throughout the day in photographs

Richard.

No. Wallers - 5

Grid Ref: SE 14735 68149

Back above Wath

Back to Wath and trying to finish off the lower wall which offered a bit of shade but more flies. Roderick, Matthew, Paul and Graham nearly finished the section but were defeated by a lack of stone and energy so  a bit of stone searching next week! Beauty continued to be more of a pest than the flies.

Just before lunch

the ever present Beauty

end of day sloping side

 end of day field side

Graham.

No. Wallers -4

Grid Ref: SE 14735 68149

Farewell to Richard Plummer

Yesterday we said goodbye to Richard Plummer who is moving to Rutland.

Leaning on a gate post at Markenfield Hall

 Richard’s commitment to the group these last five years after the apprenticeship of creating toppers at North Stainley has been rock solid. 

 

Placing the last top stone at North Stainley - 7 Sep 2011

 

He brought an enthusiasm for walling, good humour, and a ready wit, and we shall miss his cheerful presence. Even the torment to his fingers with the occasional misuse of the hammer or slightly clumsy placing of a large stone would only temporarily dim his spirited demeanour.

  

Above Thrope Planatation, Lofthouse - August 2015

  

At the opening ceremony of the outdoor space at the Jennyruth Workshop - 19 Aug 2015

The completed wall at Jennyruth - Dec 2013

Thanks Richard for all your good work and camaraderie, and good luck with the Jurassic limestones in the land of Rut.

We wish him well in his new surroundings and hope it will not be too long before he is able to start walling again.

Best wishes from the NAWG team.

Fewston Church Car Park

Another early start at 8.30am to finish the car park wall.  The team today was Barry, Catriona, Elaine, Graham, Matthew, Paul, Richard P and Tony.

The team takes up their positions

 

Progress at the lunch break

 

Look at the treats we had at lunch time

whilst Tony catches up

 

Paul takes a rest

Now ready for the toppers on the middle section 

Only a few toppers needed to complete the corner section

and a few more toppers to find for the middle section

Graham finds the last topper

and Paul does the final inspection

                       

Job completed and surplus stone gathered up for later removal

  

 
Team leader was Barry

Tony