Rhodybash on Park Head Moor (Hayfield) on Sunday 13th September 2026

Ten of us, including Jack who was with us for the first time, met Ranger Mark and new Ranger John in the Sett Valley Trail car park at Hayfield in the High Peak.

Once everyone was accounted for we drove the short distance to a small parking area near the access to Park Hall Moor.  We were going to spend the morning removing rhody re-growth from the moor.  Rhododendron ponticom is an invasive non-native shrub that severely damages native UK woodlands, habitats and wildlife, and many National Trust properties have spent many many years cutting it down and burning it to get rid of it.

I had a look and, on our current blog, the earliest entry I could find was on 6th January 2008 when nine of us did a rhodybash on the moor - but we'll have been doing rhodybashes even before then, but they aren't recorded on the blog we now use.

Before we started working, Ranger Mark told us that he had devised a system to ensure that the whole moor would eventually be covered by different groups of volunteers.  He had divided the moor into 'blocks' in his mind, and was ensuring each new group started in the correct place covering the area he wanted so he could minimise the risk that some areas were missed.

The moor was steep, so lots of uphill walking for us, plus it was uneven underfoot which was hidden by the bracken and heather.  There was also a steep slope down to the stream on one side, which was tricky to navigate, but we persevered and managed to fill many 'hippo bags' with the rhody branches.  The weather stayed dry so we had our coffee break on the moor but later, after completing the areas we had been assigned, we walked down to the Rangers shelter and had our lunch there.

After lunch, we went into the woods around Park Hall and found more rhody to destroy, also finding some Fly Agaric fungi under a tree.

We had a great day and also got lots done.  There was plenty of chatter and we learnt a lot from the tales told by Rangers Mark and John.  We hope it won't be long before we're back to tackle more rhody on the moor.

Sue B

Cancelled - workday at Hayfield on Sunday 29th March 2026

Due to lack of volunteers (the ranger asked for a minimum of six) today's rhodybash on Park Hall Moor near Hayfield was cancelled.

MNTV Committee

Cancelled - workday in the High Peak on Sunday 5th October 2025

Today's rhodybash in the High Peak on Park Hall Moor was cancelled because fewer than five people (the minimum number stipulated by ranger Chris Lockyer) had signed up.  That's obviously a shame, but with Storm Amy blowing in perhaps no surprise.

Hopefully we will have sufficient numbers for our next visit to the High Peak on 9th November to go ahead.

Daniel

Rhodybash on Middle Moor, Hayfield, on Sunday 9th March 2025

Six of us went to Hayfield today and worked with rangers Chris and Mark.  We parked our cars in the rangers compound at Park Hall Manor then had an exciting drive onto Middle Moor in two 4x4s.  The worksite was at around 350m high and had wonderful views all round, especially of Kinder Scout and the Downfall.  It was a beautiful sunny day but with a cold wind blowing off Kinder.

The main plantation of rhoddies has been cleared from around the hall but there are still seedlings and young bushes that have spread up onto the moor and throughout the heather.

We pulled out the rhoddies by hand or cut them down with loppers and bowsaws and filled almost three large bags.  The rangers then hammered herbicide "bullets' into the stumps to kill the rhoddies.

A great day all round.

Martin

Cancelled - workday at Hayfield on 24th November 2024

Unfortunately due to the recent snow and continued freezing temperatures up until the weekend the ranger could not confirm whether ground conditions were going to be suitable for the planned task until Saturday at the earliest.  As such, he decided reluctantly to cancel the workday.

The Hayfield rangers look forward to hosting us in January when hopefully the weather will be more favourable!

Rhodybash at Park Hall, Hayfield on Sunday 6th October 2024

Today, we had a good sunny day rhodybashing at Park Hall, Hayfield.  There were two bonfires going which is always fun.  Most of the rhodies have been cleared from within the walled area of Park Hall with a few scattered areas hanging on and small areas of regrowth - a big improvement on how it looked a few years ago thanks to many visits by our group and others.  The ranger thanked us for all our work.

Martin

Rhodybash at Hayfield on Sunday 17th March 2024

Five of us went to Hayfield today.  We progressed the clearance of rhoddies from the moorland, filling up approximately six large bags with our cuttings.  A lot of the rhoddies were just a few years old and where craftily hiding in the bracken with a lot more present than seemed likely on first view.

The rangers where very happy with the work and we could see the areas where heather and birch trees were re-colonising the areas that had been cleared of rhoddies.  It was a very pleasant day with even a bit of sunshine and warmth suggesting spring might be here!

Martin

Cancelled - workday at Hayfield on Sunday 12th November 2023

Sadly, today's rhodybash near Park Hall, Hayfield, was cancelled because of insufficient numbers.  Ranger Chris had said a minimum of four were required and by the 12 noon Friday cut off only three had signed up at which point we agreed with Chris that the workday was off.  Two more signed up later that afternoon but we were unable to contact Chris to ask if the workday could go ahead after all.

Rhodybash near Park Hall, Hayfield, on Sunday 24th September 2023

A small number of volunteers gathered at Hayfield for a day's rhododendron bashing on the moor above Park Hall.  The area is one that has been cleared of major growth by volunteers and machines and is now subject to regrowth from seed.  It was this regrowth that we were clearing.  As the rhododendron was rather small we just filled builders bags for later collection and disposal.

At the end of the day we had filled all the sacks and cleared quite a large area.  It is worth noting that some of the bushes were flowering, rather late in the year as this is usually a plant that flowers in spring or early summer.

Adrian

Cancelled - workday at Hayfield on 12th March 2023

Today's workday was cancelled because of snow lying on the ground and the bad weather forecast.  Given the short notice we were not able to find an alternative work venue.

MNTV Committee

Rhody bashing at Hayfield on Sunday 29th January 2023

Today's workday was at Hayfield and was Martin's first as worksite leader.  Five of us joined him for a day's rhodybashing on the steep slope above Park Hall.  This is where we worked last 16th October.  The area had been cut by others and we were mostly burning their cuttings along with snipping some young regrowth.

We had two fires going and got through a good bit, but there is still plenty left.  Some peacocks came by to inspect our work.

Martin

Clearing drainage channels on Edale Road (Hayfield) on Sunday 13th November 2022

We had brilliant blue skies over Hayfield and Kinder for this workday on Edale Road, clearing the grips (drainage channels across the road) and the roadside drain, a task that needs doing every year and that MNTV had done a year ago at the same time.

Four volunteers enjoyed the beauty of the moorland in the sunshine, a fine lemon drizzle cake (thanks Pip) and were entertained by two kestrels having a territorial dispute.

A small group, but we finished the task and slightly less of the road will be washed into the upper reaches of the River Sett than would otherwise have been the case.

Mick

Rhodybash at Park Hall (Hayfield) on Sunday 16th October 2022

Today, Adrian, Daniel and Sue rhodybashed with ranger Mark and apprentice ranger Tom at Park Hall near Hayfield.  There would have been two more of us but for covid cancellations.

We worked in a wood on the hillside above the hall.  It's a conservation area and in these and SSSI areas the Trust cannot now burn "on the ground" and instead builds its bonfires on metal platforms comprising a corrugated metal sheet on stilts.  Mark and Tom quickly got the fire going and the bone dry rhody (large piles cut by previous volunteer groups) burned very easily.  They were careful not to let the blaze get too big so that leaves and branches on the overhanding trees did not catch fire.

During the day we burned through all the big piles of rhody near the fire.  Jaffa drizzle loaf at elevenses and lunch kept everyone's energy levels up.  After 5.5. hours of burning all that remained of tonnes of rhody was a small pile of ash.

When the next burn happens the rangers will simply lift the platform and walk it round the hillside to other piles of rhody!

Thanks to Adrian and Sue for their company and for Mark and Tom for providing a good day's work.

Daniel

Scrub bashing at Hayfield on 14th August 2022

Six volunteers braved the gorgeous weather to spend the morning at Hayfield on Sunday 14^th August.  As it was so hot plans were changed so we did not go up onto the open hillside but stayed in the shade of the wooded area around Park Hall.  We used the slashers to cut back vegetation - bramble and bracken mostly - around paths and in a long, neglected garden area that the rangers are planning to open up again to use as a small tree nursery.

Lovely lemon drizzle cake was provided by Pip who had baked it in the microwave to avoid adding the heat of the oven to a very hot kitchen:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/microwave_lemon_drizzle_76127

The work was done by lunchtime so a couple of people headed off for a walk whilst others simply headed home for an unexpected free afternoon.

Pip

Rhodybash near Hayfield on Sunday 13th February 2022

Six of us met Ranger Mark and new Area Ranger Chris at the Sett Valley car park.  Once all had assembled we travelled in convoy to Park Hall.  Our task for the day as detailed by Mark and Chris was to pull up the rhodies on the moor and put them into bin bags.

We all split up and were each given two bin bags to fill.  The rhodies were easy to see and find as the moor hadn't been done for over two years.  They varied in height - some were 6 inches but there were quite a few that needed to be dug up which we tended to leave for another day and maybe another group.

At about 11 o'clock we came down from the moor and had a drink and a piece of Sainsbury's best Lemon Curd cake, sheltering out of the weather in the garage at the hall.

We all were given another two bin bags to fill.  As the weather was so bad it was decided that we would fill our bags and then have lunch back in the garage.

By lunch time we had filled 30 bin bags which we put in the back of the pick up and as it was still raining we had our lunch in the garage.

After lunch Mark looked at the weather forecast and decided that we would be soaked if we carried on so we decided to finish then.

It rained all day but we had fun!

Neil

Drainage work near South Head Farm on Sunday 5th December 2021

Seven of us met ranger Mark at 9:30 in the Sett Valley car park for our first Hayfield workday since 10th October.  We then travelled in convoy to South Head Farm - a journey not without incident with three of our six cars taking a wrong turn that required Mark to drive back from the farm, round them up and shepherd them back!

The task for the morning was to clear silted up grips (drainage channels) on the old Edale Road.  Long since impassable to cars this road is now passable by walkers, mountain bikers and Landrovers.  During the morning several mountain bikers came past pushing their bikes, a few walkers came past too and two fell runners sped past us downhill.  It's a beautiful worksite, ringed by South Head, Mount Famine and Kinderlow End.

We used mattocks and spades to clear the channels and drainage ditch running beside the track and despite there being no rain the water soon began to trickle down.  Coffee break was called at 11 and we tucked into the chocolate fudge cake that Daniel had baked.

Lunch was taken indoors at South Head Farm (welcome respite from the biting wind) and then in small groups we unblocked a drain on the farm approach road and unblocked the drains outside the farm itself.  They unblocked quickly and the over flowing water level quickly dropped.  With all drains unblocked we finished work at 14:30 and Mark then took us on a short walk down to the valley floor to show us the ruins of the 19th century bakery!

Thanks to Mark and my fellow volunteers for such an enjoyable day.

Daniel

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.

Thistle thrashing at Hayfield on Sunday 15th August 2021

Eight of us met with Iain, the National Trust ranger for Hayfield, at Sett Valley car park before moving off and leaving some cars by the Sportsman pub and then car sharing the rest of the way to South Head farm. This was due to limited parking and rough roads.

The farm is still empty and is in desperate need of work to make it habitable again. Maybe a job for MNTV!

We worked in several fields around the farm clearing thistles, a lot had already been cut by the farmer with a tractor but there were obviously areas he couldn't get to, plus quite a lot had been flattened by the tyres so these had to be dealt with as well as new growth. We finished off by clearing the farm garden which itself had been overrun by thistles.

We were lucky with the weather; we had a light shower just after lunch but it saved the worst until we were getting our gear together to return to the cars.

Thanks to Iain and my colleagues for a lovely day,

Christine 

Photo's from Christine & Andy, and Adrian.

Workday at Hayfield (Nab Brow), clearing space around saplings Sunday 18th July 2021

Seven members of MNTV returned to Nab Brow on the 18^th July (the hottest  day so far in 2021). We drove in convoy up to Kinder reservoir following Martin who unlocked the gates marked “no unauthorised access”.  We drove into the Water Treatment area to park.

Unfortunately the carpark was at the base of the dam and we then had to walk up the steep cobbled path carrying tools, and plenty of water, to get to the work site.

We continued along the Reservoir to Nab Brow.  Some of the trees, mainly Birch and Oak that we'd cleared around in 2019, had started to grow well. But some saplings hadn’t survived, so the NT had planted more saplings to fill the gaps. The bracken had grown up, so our task was to find the tree guards and slash the bracken to give the sampling more light.

After a quick drink we started the game of hunt the tree.

It was thirsty work, so we stopped for Cake (ginger and lemon drizzle) at 11am, 

more drinks at 12pm,

back to work for an hour

before lunch at 1pm.

We then agreed to work for another 45 minutes then we gathered up the tools and unused tree guards, ate the final pieces of watermelon, and made our way back to the cars.

After such a hot day we decided a trip to the pub was in order, so we called in at the Royal Hotel for a well-earned long cool drink, before heading home.

Text from Jenny. Photo's from Jenny and Adrian.

Rhodi bash at Hayfield, High Peak, on Sunday 13th December 2020

 Six of us from MNTV met with Mark NT ranger at Sett Valley car park and went on convoy up to Park Hall, we just managed with our 5 cars plus land rover to all park off the road.

Our day was to be split into 2 sections. Firstly we went up onto the moor to pull rhodi that had started to grow again.  We each had 2 bin bags which didn't take too long to fill and it nicely coincided with the rain starting again and brew time. Plus by this time everyone's gloves were pretty wet and hands starting to get cold.

Whist we warmed ourselves with a hot drink Mark took a bag of our rhodi pulling to see if he could get a fire going. We then went up the steep slope to where we have worked in the past.  Whilst Andy H kept the fire going Mark showed the rest of us where he wanted us working. He was very specific as the wind had got up as well as the rain and he didn't want us working under or near trees that he wasn't happy with.

After a while he came and collected us all as a large branch off a tree close by had come down and he felt it too risky to continue working in the woods. So we called it a day as people were starting to feel the cold through very wet clothes.

Even so it was a good day and it was nice to be back at Hayfield, especially as we were their first group back since March due to Coronavirus.

Sorry to everyone who couldn't come due to shortage of parking and not being able to car share.

Text from Christine who was worksite leader, photo's from Christine, Andy H and Adrian.