Working in the wood yard at Styal on Sunday 26th November 2017

Just 5 of us went to Styal, on a day that was cold and rainy, but we still managed to get quite a bit done though.

The tasks included digging in a wooden frame to make a bed for heeling in saplings which are awaiting transplanting to their permanent home.

Tidying up the yard and finishing off a fence which had been started by Chester group in the week, the fence is to make the yard more secure and to prevent children playing in it.

We also raised the height of the access gate to the yard and a secondary gate which is to give access to the wood at the rear.

Text & photo's by Adrian.

Rhody bash at Hayfield on Sunday 19th November 2017

Nine of us gathered in the Sett Valley Trail car park at 9.30am to meet up with Shane, Miles and Mark, the Kinder, Edale and Dark Peak Rangers. Also we met with David, a free-lance reporter and photographer, who stayed with us for our workday to find out about MNTV, what we do and why we do it!
From the car park, we moved our vehicles to Park Hall to find out what we would be doing during the day.
The morning was to be spent walking through the moors, spread out to cover as large an area as we could between us, trying to spot re-growth of rhody that could be pulled up with their roots. These were then shaken to get most of the 'soil' off and left to dry out so they couldn't re-root.

Walking the moors, trying to spot rhody re-growth

After we all had met back at the cars, it was very late for our morning break but too early for lunch. We had a debate and decided to just have our break so I got out the (shop bought!!) cakes to share around. Once finished, we went to find Shane so we'd know what we would be doing next, but he was being interviewed by David, so we decided to have our lunch as well:-)
By the time we'd finished eating, Shane was able to tell us that we'd be cutting down the established rhody close to where the cars were - so we set to it!

Working hard

As we were working and chatting, we saw the ducks that lived on the pond at Park Hall, a couple of peacocks, heard about the swimming pool (no longer in use!) towards the back of the patch we were cutting and about how it was hoped to create bat highways soon by cutting back the tree's and branches that were too close to the power lines. Such a great way to spend an afternoon.

In the thick of it!

Six of us then went back on the moors with Mark to find more rhody, so we could 'pose' for a photo for David, to accompany his article for the Trust. He hopes it will be accepted by local newspapers and will also help to advertise the great times we have whilst volunteering with MNTV!!!!!

'Posing!!'

Photo's by Adrian

Rhody bash at Lyme Park on Sunday 12th November 2017

Blue skies and a fresh, chill wind, accompanied the group working in Lantern Wood today.

As is usual with rhodybashing, a satisfactory amount was cleared and burnt by the 10 enthusiastic volunteers, fuelled by some very nice cake.

Although there is still a fair bit of rhododendron left in Lantern Wood and a few other spots around the park, the Rangers are starting to think of a time when Lyme Park no longer had a rhody problem!

Text provided by Mick. Photo's by Karin and Adrian.

Fencing work at Hardcastle Crags on 5 November 2017

Today, a select group of three made the hour's journey from Styal to Hardcastle Crags for our third visit of the year.  Harry, one of the three, was a newbie and we assured him that turnouts are usually higher (5 to 10) and sometimes a lot higher (15 last week).

We met Natalie Pownall, Academy Ranger, in the car park at the end of Midgehole Road then drove in her estate vehicle up to the top of Pecket Well.  Today's task was preparatory work ahead of a group upgrading stock fencing around a field.  In all, we carried 60 fence posts approximately 200 metres down to the fence line, set most of them beside the rotten fence posts they will replace and cut back branches overhanging the fence line.

The sun shone down all and we enjoyed a splendid view at lunchtime from a bench beside the Pecket Well war memorial across the Gibson Mill valley to the tiny village of Heptonstall with Hebden Bridge and Stoodley Pike beyond.

Daniel