Sunshine and apple blossom greeted us at Styal today. The task was spiling - protecting parts of the banks of the Bollin using willow withies. These are 'planted' into the banks and wound around willow stakes driven into the river bed a foot or so from the bank. Some of the withies will grow and help to stabilise the silt which accumulates behind the spiling, and all of it will prevent further erosion of the banks at those points. The three sections of spiling we have put in was mainly to protect the banks where the Bollin is threatening to erode the footpaths. The ten MNTV volunteers split into groups, some working in the water in waders, some harvesting the withies and some being the go-betweens.
Withies and stakes being harvested for the spiling
Weaving about to begin
Most of the woven withies are underwater
Some of the local wildlife came to see what we were up to
Mick
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