Hedge pruning at Ashes Farm near Hayfield - 28th January 2018

Seven of us met in Hayfield at 9:30 for a day’s hedge pruning with rangers Myles and Mark, Myles’s daughter Molly and the rangers’ dogs Willow, Elsa and Lottie.  Daniel had driven via Marple (!) - a new route for him recommended by Google Maps.  We moved our cars to Kinder Road before piling into the Land Rovers and heading up to South Head Farm.  Myles's first task was to light the fire in the living room - it was warmer outside the house than in!  Although SHF has a new boiler it isn't working at present.

We drove back down the hill to Ashes Farm and spent until elevenses pruning a hedge there.  We did this same job on 11 May 2014 and it had grown back a lot.  We left the cuttings in the middle of the track so that the farmer can easily pick them up using the grabber on the front of his tractor.

For elevenses, we returned to SHF and had cake and drinks in front of the roaring fire.  Daniel said that although he has baked many cakes he had not until this week made proper butter icing.  The cake was good!

We did another stint on the hedge until lunchtime then returned to SHF for lunch in the warmth.  After lunch we left SHF for good, did another 1.5 hours then ended the day at 3:30.

As ever, it was great to socialise in the fresh air and hear the latest Trust news from Myles and Mark, all the while surrounded by Mount Famine and Kinder Scout.  We are next at Hayfield in March.

Daniel