Workday fencing at Styal on Sunday 31st October 2021

Seven of us met ranger Vicky in the car park at 09:30 to continue tasks funded by the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund. Vicky was a few minutes late due to the weather so we all huddled in the Outdoor Education Centre to escape the torrential rain.

The work site was just a five minutes walk to a field used by the Bollin Valley Partnership to graze longhorn cattle, the job - taking out an old barbed wire fence in preparation for contractors coming in to erect a new stock fence. We had also worked in the same field in August, planting wildflower plugs.

We used loppers and bowsaws to clear the scrub away, took off the wire using fencing pliers and claw hammers

then dug out the fence posts.

Barbed wire fence has to be carefully rolled to stop it springing apart when laid flat.

We finished the day tidying up the edges of the popular walking path that skirts the field.

There’s nothing to show for all the hard work - but that’s the point!

The product of our labours, ready for disposal.

A very enjoyable day, especially as the rain stopped soon after we started work and held off until we were back in the car park.

Text and photo's from Jean

Rhody bash at Lyme Park on Sunday 24th Oct 2021

Thirteen of us arrived in the main car park to meet Ranger Flo before walking up to the Stables block, where Ranger Issy welcomed us and we all walked to where we'd be working, at Coal Clough Pit, by the side of the Deer Sanctuary.

Safety talk before we got started

The weather was a bit mixed and it rained on us a little on occasion,

but it was a great day, we cut down and burnt lots of rhododendron ponticum (the common, invasive variety) on not just one, but two fires!! - although it was nearly three when we noticed some embers had landed on a nearby rotten trunk which was smouldering!

A roaring fire:-) 

It was a lovely workday - we had a new volunteer and some established members who'd not been out with us for a while joined us, including Sue who is also a Lyme Park Ranger, and who popped over to say hello.

It was great to catch up with Ranger Issy and also Ranger Flo, who'd only been at Lyme Park for a couple of weeks. 

By the end of the afternoon we let the fires die down, but continued cutting the rhody so it was ready for another time, or for another group to burn if they got there first.

Lunchtime

Photo's from Sue and Adrian

Tree thinning at Alderley Edge on Sunday 17th October 2021

Ten of us met up at the carpark at Alderley Edge in the drizzle for our first workday here since June last year.  After collecting tools we crossed the road to an area closed to the public which has been cleared of big trees but where birch trees have self seeded.  Our task was to remove the birch saplings some of which were 4m high.  The Alderley Edge mid-week group had already cleared part of the area and left plenty of wood to burn.  Despite the drizzle we managed to light a roaring fire.

The rain soon eased off and left us with a dry spot for the morning break (vegan choc cake and ginger cake).  Some of the small saplings could be pulled up by hand, others needed a bit more equipment.  We had mattocks and two “tree poppers” to use for the smaller stuff and the bigger stumps were pulled out with a hand winch attached to one of the mature trees.

By mid-afternoon we had cleared the patch of saplings so we put rope round the fire and headed back to the carpark having done a good day's work.  Local Granellis ice cream van was there for refreshments.  I know it’s good ice cream because I used to live 12 doors down from the factory shop!

Jenny

Zoom quiz on Thursday 13th October 2021

After the success and enjoyment of our first zoom quiz on 9th April, tonight we held our second.

Nine of us took part and between us set seven rounds of 10 questions.

First round was band/singer 'say what you see' followed by NT properties, natural history, GK, 80s music, GK and films/sequences.  None of the rounds were too easy and some very were difficult with half marks being a good score.  The top three were Andy S with 36 points out 60, then with Megan 35 and Daniel with 34.

Thanks for Sue and Ally for organising the evening, to all the question setters and everyone who took part.

At the end we talked about organising a Christmas zoom quiz in December with Christmas attire mandatory!  Details TBC.

Daniel Black

Rhodybashing at Hayfield on Sunday 10th October 2021

We arrived at the station Carpark at Sett Valley, Hayfield to meet Mark, one of the Hayfield Rangers. Mark was keen to pass out the flyer about Tinsle Tales- Benniebee/Walliewasp. This was one of the six books that he has written during furlough.

From the Sett Valley car park, we drove to Park Hall in convoy. We all managed to park, when Adrian said that he was stopped on the way up by a neighbour asking what we were doing. Once Adrian explained, she was then happy with all the convoy. As we were getting ready, another car arrived and it was Martin who joined us.  After a head count and me not realising that the Hills were two! We then took the tools, which we had enough of, and went up the hill and climbed the banking.

The Rhodies were quite established and there were quite a few regrowth’s, which someone said was more like pruning than removing. Dave led the way and started pulling up, roots and all, which seemed a good way to go.

At the 11 o’clock bell we returned to base where Esther did a fine job of cutting up the cakes for us.

It was decided by Mark that he wanted us to cut down rather than burn, so some of the excitement and enjoyment went from the day! At the 1 o’clock bell, we went back to the base camp for lunch. After lunch we went on to further decimation of the Rhodies.

Victor went upwards, over the wall and was destroying there, whilst leaving the coppice of 15 footers for another day. Anna, Christine and Esther went down the hill and continued on down there. David and Martin disappeared to the left while the four older men scrabbled up just below the wall to the right below Victor.

We waited for the 3 o’clock bell before Andy used his melodic shout to call everyone back to the base camp.

We then left at 3.30 pm to make our own ways back to Manchester.

Neil Bonner

Thanks to Andy H and Adrian for the photos.

Cancelled - workday at Erddig on 3rd October 2021

Sadly this workday had to be cancelled. 

A minimum of six volunteers were required to do the task but due to the "fuel shortage" we couldn't get that many who wanted to travel the distance.

MNTV Committee