Fencing at Styal on Sunday 27th March 2022

The last Sunday in March was both Mothers Day and the day the clocks moved forward so we decided to have a later than normal start at 10 am, at Styal.  Six enthusiastic and hardworking MNTVolunteers arrived to put up the chestnut fencing by the Apprentice house at Quarry Bank Mill.  This will divide a farmed field into two sections; the smaller section will have a pond and wildlife meadow and the larger section will continue to be farmed.

When we arrived the fence was about 2/3 of the way across the field and a gate post hole had been dug but no post erected.  We started work to extend the fence towards the far side.  The ranger, Craig, thought we would manage about 1.5 posts each during the day, and the Wednesday group would finish off the job.  So the challenge was set to get 1.5 posts and more in and MNTV like a challenge!

The first three holes were a little problematic - we found a clay drainage pipe in one, the next it started to fill with water (oops!) and in the third we found a blue plastic water pipe.  We tried hard to keep the fence straight and level despite the obstructions.

Caution ... water!

After elevenses of muesli flapjacks and orange chocolate brownies we continued to make good progress.  After lunch and a rest we went back to work digging holes.

Things were now a little more straight forward and we focused on reaching the edge of the field by 3:30pm.  When we reached the edge we hadn’t quite finished but the challenge had been set so we all agreed to stay on and finish the job which meant two more posts and cutting extra holes in the post so we could turn the corner and join up to the new fence along the side of the field.

We finally put down tools a little later than usual at 4:30pm, tired and proud that we had not done 1.5 posts each but two posts.  Craig was very pleased with the achievement.  Give MNTV a challenge and it gets done!  What are Wednesday’s volunteers going to do?  Well, that will take some thinking about by the rangers.

Jenny

Installing/repairing steps and splitting logs at Lyme Park - Sunday 20th March 2022

Ten of us met Ranger Chris in the main car park at 9.30am, on a cold but glorious morning. He drove back down the main drive to the steps leading into Crow Wood that we would be working on today and we walked to meet him there. Ranger Flo and Ranger Chris showed us which steps were rotten so the front-facing wood needed replacing and which steps were a bit too high and could do with an extra step installing to make them easier to climb.

Once the Play Area refurbishment is completed in a few weeks time, it is expected that many people will then be able to start walking through Crow Wood again and using the steps, so it is an ideal time to get them sorted before then. 

After a safety and tools talk: 

Ranger Chris gave 3 of our group a lift to the Wood Yard as there were some logs that needed splitting.

We all stopped for a break mid-morning, when the 3 from the Wood Yard joined us. After Sue's home-made fruit loaf, another 4 of our volunteers were then taken up to the Wood Yard, whilst the rest of us continued removing the rotten wood from the steps, and the step supports, cutting the new timber to size and digging into the soil at the sides to help give the step extra support. We had problems with the nails we were using as they seemed quite soft and weren't going in as well as expected. Screws were later provided, but these weren't quite long enough so we reverted back to the nails.

After lunch, a final swap meant that another 3 volunteers swapped in and went up to the Wood Yard. Rumours before they went that the easiest wood had already been split proved to be true as they found it very difficult to split any of the wood that was left. Fortunately Christine was in the group of 3, and she proved invaluable at being able to find the slightly easier pieces of wood for the rest of us to split!

Yes - we even used spirit levels!

Group photo taken showcasing our handiwork:-)

We all got together at the end and had a group photo taken on the 'new' steps. It's always nice to see a task completed by the time we leave. As we walked back to the car park, we passed by the MNTV tree which was planted in 2016 to celebrate 30years of our group. It's looking really good and we hope for many more years of workdays for ourselves:-)

Photo's from Adrian and Sue

Fence work at Lyme Park on Sunday 13th March 2022

Ten volunteers worked with Alex, one of the Rangers at Lyme Park, helping to make the fence around the garden rabbit and badger proof.  This involved lots of digging to get chicken wire into the ground, in the hopes that the wire deters our little four-legged friends from digging their way under the fence.

We all love rabbits and badgers in the Park but in the garden they eat the expensive plants and shoots - just like the rabbits in Mr McGregor's garden (for Beatrix Potter fans).

The chocolate buns got a thumbs up mid-morning and the weather stayed dry so all in all a successful day.  Just a few metres of rabbit proofing left for next week because we ran out of chicken wire.

Pip

Fence removal and a litter pick at Styal on Sunday 6th March 2022

Ten of us met at Styal today for what we knew would be a day of two halves.  In the morning we removed the fence fronting the Natural Play area situated midway between the Apprentice House and the Mill and from elevenses until the end of the day we did a litter pick along the airport access road.

Before we began work I presented long service certificates and pin badges to Adrian (30 years) and Neil (10 years).  Congratulations to both of you and thank you for all the time and energy you have given to MNTV and the National Trust over those years.

The Natural Play area hasn't worked as well as hoped and will be repurposed, possibly by planting flowers.  We removed the front fence to give access.  The fence panels were all in very good condition and will be reused elsewhere on the estate.

We had our 11 o'clock coffee break in the new wooden shelter at the top of the steps leading from the carpark down to the Mill.  The Sultana Cake baked by Daniel was enjoyed by one and all.

We then car shared to the Mill end of the airport access road and spent the rest of the day picking litter.  Depressingly there was quite a lot, particularly near the mounds where the plane spotters congregate.  Bottles, coffee cups, chocolate bar wrappers, face masks and lots of single use plastic predominated.  It was interesting talking to plane spotters while we litter picked.  One was there all day just to see one particular plane (the only jet in Aruba's fleet) that was on its way from Barcelona and another told us the Glazers (owners of Man Utd) had just landed in their private jet for the Manchester derby.  They will have flown home empty handed because City won 4-1.

Thanks to everyone for an enjoyable day and congratulations to Anna on reaching 50 hours for the year.

Daniel