New Waller

Graham and I said hello to a new waller this Wednesday. Mark who hails from sunny Leeds joined us on a trip up, then down, to the soggy delights of Ivin Waite. We're hoping he decides to join us on a fortnightly basis, alternating with the AONB Tuesday volunteers.
Mark helped greatly in bringing the first section of Ivin Waite close to a finish.
We have a few toppers already in place and have a dozen or so more already sorted out to pop on when we next return. So it's just the gap to the old wall to finish and the toppers to top out. Then I think we'll call it a day for Ivin Waite this year. We might possibly return to do more work when the weather begins to get better again.

The muddy gully is becoming a bit more stream like

The wall at the start of the day (Actually at the end of last week - I forgot to take any photos till quite late on)

Graham and Mark casting a critical eye on the wall at lunch time

The wall at the end of the day - the aquatic qualities of the site having spread to the footpath

Light and Bright Ivin Waite

Barry, Graham and I had a pretty reasonable day a Ivin Waite. I wouldn't say it was warm, but Graham was down to shirt sleeves and I was walling in a t-shirt for part of the day.
Graham braved the soggy side of the wall. Whilst Barry was on the more challenging side from a walling perspective.

Photos courtesy all three wallers!

 

Barry continues walling despite the call for coffee break

   

The wall at lunch time

The wall at the end of the day with fence posts back in place

Richard H.

No Wallers : 3.

Weather Dodging at Markenfield

Just three of us Self, Barry and Roderick.

Weather held off until we left at 1.30 but I think we'd been protected a bit by the trees. Barry walled on the field side of the wall where the smell of muck spreading was quite intense but on the other side, no smell at all!

Progress at early morning

The wall at the end of the day 

Graham 

No. Wallers: 3

Soggy and Boggy

Graham, Catriona, Barry and I continued work up at Ivin Waite.  Chris Prince had put in an electric fence to keep the newly transferred cows in place, and despite the dampness under foot the day was quite pleasant. Straying off the path did run the risk of sinking up to the ankles, or further, in squelchy mud but for the most part we stayed relatively dry.
Catriona and Barry did have some specks of mud on their jeans, Graham was a bit more muddy whilst I looked like I'd been rolling around in it all day. So not much change there.

Here's what we achieved; it was slow going.

At lunchtime

Graham cuts some reeds to lay in front of the wall and help prevent sinking in the mud

The wall at home time

Richard H

No of Wallers: 4

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NEWS FROM THE SOUTH!!

Pics at last and a report from the East Midlands branch. I did enjoy the shots of Markenfield brought back happy memories.

The progress here is slow. Three of us and I am defiantly Richard the younger. A walling Wednesday is at best 2.5 hours but it is still fun. 

The wall is approx 20 metres long and in three distinct sections. The first (top) section we were able to save much of the wall but the stone is very crumbly. Ketton's biggest employer is a cement works.that approx 5 metres is finished. We are laying the foundation on the central section. This is where two mature trees have been removed. We have problems with large roots and three stumps. You may spot where the foundations steps in a little to avoid one stump and a large stone on the outside of the foundation bridges over a second stump.

The third section we are digging out it is under 5 feet of earth at the end. The remaining wall under the earth looks ok ish but again is crumbly. We also unearthed a piece of decorated stone... any publishable suggestions as what to do with it would be appreciated

All the best

Richard 

Rainbows

Graham and Barry we the only ones with the poise and style to wall this week. Two wayward Nottinghamshire photographers spotted the potential of our dashing duo and were soon asking the wallers to pose for action shots. This week Markenfield next week Vogue.

Barry and Graham took some pretty nice shots of their own in amongst adding a few more courses to the wall. It has even been reported (By Graham) that they used string lines!

The wall by lunch time

The wall at the end of the day

Richard H.
No Waller: 2

Ivin Waite

Before starting work at this site it was decided to do a recce to see if the ground conditions were dry enough to start work. This involved a walk down from the Toft Gate farm café (not open today) to the public right of way at Ivin Waite. After a quick survey it was decided that the conditions were acceptable to make a start on the task. This unfortunately meant that we had to walk back uphill to Toft Gate to collect our equipment and lunch packs. Barry volunteered to take the kit and a few passengers back in his car via the Nidderdale Way bridleway route and park at Ivin Waite.(see maps below).

The Conservation Volunteers had previously created a culvert to drain the water away from the path. They had also replaced a ladder stile with a new kissing gate. Our task is to rebuild the wall over the culvert and connect it to the kissing gate post.

The team today was Barry, Catriona, Graham, Richard, Roderick and Tony.

The task of determining the route of the wall commences

Ready to start laying the foundations

Bridging the culvert 

The stone next to the newly installed gate post needs to be re-positioned 

The task begins

and is completed

After rebuilding the foundations the stock proofing is replaced ready to return next week

Not sure these scissors will ever be used again

Location of site (red spot) and three parking areas. (P2 has room for 1 car only)

No of wallers 6

Tony

Finished at Heathfield Taster Wall

Today we welcomed Shirelle to our short session to finish at Heathfield. Shirelle was on holiday from London and had recently been on a taster walling day with the Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild at Leyburn.  On Tuesday she had been out with the NAONB Conservation Volunteers at How Stean Beck.

Other members of the team today were Graham, Matthew, Roderick and Tony.

Rain showers did not deter Matthew and Roderick from placing the last toppers on the taster wall

Meanwhile further down the wall Graham and Shirelle tackle the gap repair




The Taster wall is completed by mid morning

All hands move to complete the gap repair

The finished walls at close of play at 1.30pm 

We hope we might see Shirelle again in the future when she next visits Yorkshire. In the meantime we wish her well in her new job with the London Wildlife Trust at the Walthamstow Wetlands.

Tony
No of wallers 5