Monday 30 September 2019

Fencing removal at Formby on Sunday 29th September 2019

We arrived at the Ranger Station in Formby to be offered tea and biscuits by the rangers, but declined in favour of starting work whilst it was still only drizzling.  We had the company of four rangers for the day and were driven into the local woods to take down some old wire fencing.  On the way the vehicle towing the trailer got stuck between two trees, but as we were nearly at the worksite it didn’t matter, we just unhitched the trailer.


After working hard in light rain removing wire and digging up posts we prepared for a late morning break, but just then it started to rain very heavily so we quickly tidied the site and hitched a lift back to the Ranger Station for an early lunch.  On route the rangers got a call to say that a car had had an accident and spilt oil over the track to the caravan park.  The area is a SSSI so the spill had to be contained and the rangers dashed off to assess the situation whilst we had lunch in the dry.


After lunch we helped the rangers shovel sand around the oil spill to contain it.  Once we had done all that we could, bearing in mind that anything we put down would need removing again, the only thing the rangers could do was to wait for the oil clean up expert to arrive.  Just as we debated what to do next (a spot more fence clearing perhaps?) the rangers had a call to investigate a fallen tree, so we felt the best thing to do was get out of their way and come home.

Thanks to the rangers for looking after us and I hope it all ended happily.

Jenny

Monday 23 September 2019

Footpath work and vegetation clearance at Erddig on Sunday 22nd September 2019

On an overcast and rainy day a small group of three made the hour’s journey to Erddig near Wrexham to do footpath maintenance and vegetation clearance.


A damaged tree had fallen across the path and bindweed had run rampant, giving new meaning to the phrase ‘trip hazard’.

The bindweed had grown up the bank and over the hedge and was starting to encroach on gardens in the neighbouring housing estate.

Five hours later the path was visible again and the housing estate safe from invasion.


We had time at the end of the day to check out the new wild flower garden ie. car park that MNTV helped prepare earlier on in the year.


Jean

Saturday 21 September 2019

Lyme Park Heritage Open Day on Saturday 21st Sept 2019

A fabulously sunny day at Lyme Hall
MNTV were invited by Alex, the Volunteering & Community Officer at Lyme, to help on their 2019 Heritage Open Day which was held on Saturday 21st Sept.
For those not aware, "Heritage Open Days (also known as HODs) are an annual celebration of England's architecture and culture that allows visitors free access to historical landmarks that are either not usually open to the public, would normally charge an entrance fee, or that are always free to visitors and always open to the public".
Four of us volunteered to help today, Georgi, Chris, Sue and David, and we met at 9.30am, in time to have a briefing in the NT estate office within part of Lyme Hall, along with some other volunteers there specifically to help on the Heritage Open Day.
After finding out where extra help would be required during the day, and giving our preferences for where we would like to help, we started off in the reception marquee by the main car park, giving information about the various attractions and events available during the day.
As it became busier, Sue went to help on car park duties to assist the other volunteers ensuring everyone could find a parking space in the various overflow car parks.
Sue had to leave helping with the car parking at 12.30pm so she could get to her next task which was in Lyme Hall, to take over from one of the helpers in the dressing up area. This is a fabulous room, where costumes and accessories 'of the time', made or acquired by the volunteer seamstresses at Lyme, were available for free, for children and adults to wear and dress up as Edwardian's, to then walk around the hall and grounds. So many people wanted to do this that we had to ask people to wait outside the room at times as it was getting so busy and hot. I heard so many fabulous comments about how people had enjoyed the experience, many from men who hadn't wanted to take part but, by the time they had walked around the hall and gardens in the sunshine with their families, wearing their suits and top hats, found it an amazingly positive experience and would do it again.
Sue on her way into Lyme Hall to find the dressing up room 
After helping on the main marquee, Chris and David offered to run the printing demonstration within Lyme Hall, showing how printing was done back in the Edwardian period, while Georgi helped on the soft archery which was part of the  'Leave No Trace' activities,  part of the recycling, and celebrating sporting activities that leave no trace.
We all agreed that we had a fabulous day and really enjoyed helping at Lyme Park.

Sunday 15 September 2019

Rhodi bashing at Lyme Park on Sunday 15th Sept 2019

Ten of us met with Dan,one of the Lyme Ranger in the main car park.
The day started drizzly and misty, getting worse as we climbed from the main car park, past the stables and up to lantern wood. We couldn't even see a view from the lantern during the morning, which was a shame for our new volunteer, Aimee.
Dan led us to where previous fire pits had been used. We started with one fire but, as the day progressed, another fire was set up too.
the smaller of the 2 fires
We were soon cutting the rhodi, dragging it to the fires and burning it. At lunchtime, Dan handed over to Issy, another Lyme Ranger, who used to be a volunteer with MNTV. It was great to see her again and find out what was happening at Lyme and how they were recovering from the floods. Sue D, a Lyme volunteer and also a member of MNTV came and helped out for a while, having just got back from holiday the day before.
The weather brightened in the afternoon and the view was amazing.
We left Issy to keep an eye on the fires as we made our way back to the main car park for 3.30pm.
Another great day of volunteering!!
great atmosphere created by the smoke
photos from Adrian

Sunday 8 September 2019

Footpath repair at Styal on Sunday 8th September 2019

We had a strong group of eleven on a pleasant sunny day at Styal doing footpath repair. Parts of the path towards Wilmslow are prone to flooding even in normal weather conditions and the work we did was part of ongoing path maintenance.
Before........
Two drainage pipes were repaired and fresh gravel used to resurface the path.
channel dug across the path to accommodate the drainage pipes
We used the latest technology to transport gravel 300 meters to the work site.
The footpath is very popular with dog walkers and we got a lot of appreciation  for the work we were doing. 
...and after:-)
Text and some photo's from Jean, additional photo's from Adrian

Monday 2 September 2019

Erecting tree guards at Chirk Castle on Sunday 1st September 2019

On the first day of autumn 2019 we went to Wales to invade Chirk Castle, a first for MNTV.  Seven pioneering MNTV members met up with the ranger, five members of the Merseyside group and one from the Chester group, to put up tree guards in the castle grounds.

The property has a grant to plant lots of trees, carefully placed in the park to recreate old plans for the grounds.  The work we were doing was to protect the young trees from the grazing sheep and cattle.

You can see from the photo that the old guards hadn’t worn well and the ones still standing had to be dismantled.  Where the old guards had broken you can see the damage cattle and sheep had done to the bark.


We were putting up something sturdier. The sides were pre-erected so “all” we had to do was dig some holes and nail the panels together.  Digging is never as easy to do as it is to watch, but we all took it in turns to dig the holes through roots and boulders to erect the new tree guards.



We weren’t the only invaders of the castle.  The medieval re-enactment group were also there, suitably dressed to take part in the battle of Crogen 1165 when King Henry II tried to invade Wales.  The clashing of swords and battle cries from the castle slopes mixed well with the noises we made digging the holes.


At the end of the battle Henry, like us, returned home.  Henry had been defeated but we were the victorious erectors of six magnificent tree guards which will keep the Welsh (livestock) at bay for several years to come.