Rhodybash at Lyme Park on Sunday 25th February 2024

We met Issy the Ranger in the main car park and as it was a nice day and likely going to be very busy and all our parking spaces would be needed by visitors we moved our cars closer to Lantern Wood.

From there we walked up towards Lantern Wood and, on the right hand side just before the start of the wood, went through a gate and walked along the edge of the stone wall to the first opening, beyond which Alex, another Lyme Ranger, had already started a fire for us.

Once Issy had driven up in her little vehicle we retrieved the tools and our rucksacks and start looking for small dry dead twigs to feed the lit embers of the fire and to start a second fire to burn all the rhody that had already been cut but hadn't been burnt due to the recent wet weather.

It was a dry but very cold day and we were very glad of the heat from the fires once they'd got going.  The ten of us made quite a difference while we were there and 3:15pm quickly approached when we started packing up, putting the orange netting around the fires to alert people to their presence, then walked back to our cars.

It was a great day to be out in the fresh air with our MNTV buddies helping the Rangers with their tasks.

Sue B 

Woodland management at Styal on Sunday 18th February 2024

Eight of us met up with ranger Stuart for a day of coppicing/woodland management in the woods at Quarry Bank Mill.  We were back working in the same area as two weeks ago.  The aim was to cut down self-seeded birch, of which there was quite a lot, but to leave approximately one in seven.  There were some quite well-established trees but they were too crowded so had to be thinned out.

Before ...

... and after

We did this task until after lunch which was when we took the trees we had cut down and removed the branches.  Stuart said they could then be made into stakes for hedge laying.

We were working by the river and had the luxury of a bench for our breaks.  The river was very high and fast moving and we unfortunately had one boy slip into the river.  Luckily it was in a sheltered area which wasn't flowing.  One very wet 11-year-old was soon walking back to the car park.

We had quite a few people stopping and asking what we were doing and seemed very interested.  Hopefully we can gain some more members.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work and to Stuart for the workday.

Christine

Hedge laying at Alderley Edge on Sunday 11th February 2024

Nine volunteers meet up on a misty but otherwise dry Sunday at Alderley Edge.

The task was to rescue a hedge that had been planted but was being cut with a tractor hedge trimmer so was a bit of a mess.

The first job was to tidy the hedge and remove sideways branches. 

Several of the group had done hedge laying before – one even had his own billhook made by his own fair hands.

We lit a fire to get rid of the brash

The mist lifted around lunchtime and we continued working on the stretch of hedge.

By the end of the day we had managed to lay the whole section of hedge and trim the holly.

The path is right by the Rangers area so it will be interesting to go back and see how it’s doing on our future trips to Alderley Edge.

Jenny

Woodland management at Styal on Sunday 4th February 2024

Nine of us met up with Ceara to be told that our task for the day had changed because the original worksite was not easily accessible.

We headed off towards Oxbow Bridge armed with loppers and bowsaws for a bit of woodland management.  This involved cutting back holly, hazel, sycamore and doing a bit of birch thinning plus clearing round tree guards that had planted trees in them.

We had plenty of people asking who we were and what we were doing.  Some even seemed interested in the group.  I don't think I have seen as many dogs before, as it seemed that nearly everyone who passed had one.

Our leader for the day Jean had to leave as she was in extreme discomfort so we hope she gets sorted soon and is able to join us again in the not too distant future.

Thanks to Ceara and everyone who attended today for a good workday.

Christine