Balsam pulling at Speke Hall - Sunday 22nd June 2025

 It was a small turnout for our return visit to Speke Hall on 22nd June... just three volunteers.

We were again working in Stockton Wood but this time we were working right at the back of the woods next to the tyre factory.  The task was balsam pulling but with hardly any balsam it was more like weeding the woods!

Due to the balsam being spread out across the woods we could not really get a before and after picture.

As you can see below the wood is very dense with prickly bushes which made the task quite difficult at times.

The balsam was mostly quite small but we did occasionally find a larger plant!

We ended the day just after lunchtime as we had cleared everything and the ranger did not have anything else for us to do.  A bonus to get to the supermarket before the shops close!

Photo above is a lovely wildflower bed just in front of the visitor centre.

Denise Clark
Worksite Leader

'Ladies Day' Digging Drainage Trench at Speke Hall - Sunday 18th May 2025

Well it was an all girls workday on Sunday 18th May at Speke Hall, in all my years vounteering I don't believe we have ever had this before.

Five of us spent the day in Stockton Wood (next to the car park).  Ranger Ian explained that the wood can be quite waterlogged so drainage trenches had previously been created throughout various parts of the wood but over the years these have filled up with soil and leaves.

When we arrived at the site there was little evidence of a trench been there previously.

We split up into groups to work on the trench in stages so that we would eventually join up the line.  

               

      

It was hard work digging the trench as tree roots were found in the soil.

After a back breaking day we eventually finished the trench.

At the end of the workday Ranger Ian took us down to the Hall for a tour around.

Despite it being hard work we all had a lovely day and enjoyed our tour of the Hall.  We will be back again in June.

Denise Clark

Worksite Leader

Cancelled - workday at Speke Hall on Sunday 13th April 2025

Unfortunately, today's workday at Speke Hall was cancelled at short notice because of a lack of staff availability.

There is no workday next week because it's Easter Sunday and so we resume our activities on Sunday 27th April at Styal.

MNTV Committee

Balsam bashing at Speke on Sunday 19th May 2024

As a result of having a "wall to wall sunshine" workday today, Ranger Simon suggested that instead of doing the original task of ditch clearing/digging and footpath clearing in Stockton's Wood, which would have been very hot for us all, we instead balsam bashed on another part of the estate which would be in the shade and cooler for us.

So, after the six MNTV volunteers met Simon in the main car park at 10am we carried our gear part of the way back down the drive, through a field with some beautiful Southern Marsh orchids and over to a pond where we started pulling up the Himalayan Balsam and snapping the roots off so it didn't regrow.

We worked our way around the pond and had moved further away to a nearby field by break time where we stopped to have coffee and cake!!

After some more balsam bashing, moving further down a wire fence on both sides clearing the balsam, we had lunch and Simon nipped off to get some of his other jobs done.

By the time he came back, we finished up, took our gear back to our cars, changed our footwear, dropped off our rucksacks and joined him by the Tudor hall that Speke is famous for.  After he'd taken a group photo we were invited to have a look round the hall in our own time before heading home.

Simon was delighted by what we'd achieved and we were pleased to start our season of balsam bashing unexpectedly early :-)

Sue

                             

                               

                                                

   

Hedge trimming at Speke on Sunday 1st October 2023

Seven of us turned out for a day of hedge trimming at Speke Hall on Sunday 1st Ocober.

It was a rather wet start with a downpour until lunchtime.  Luckily we had use of the rangers office for lunch and it was nice and cosy, homemade fruit cake and homemade lemon muffins were enjoyed by all.

We were working in field on the outskirts of the estate which is separated by a hedge, ranger Simon worked on one side of the hedge using a petrol trimmer to cut the top of the hedge so that we had a guide point to work to.  

Using loppers and shears we split up into small groups to trim back the sides of the hedge.  With a later start and the downpour we worked through tea break and had a longer lunch instead to dry off ready for the afternoon session.  

We finished both sides of the hedge and were delighted with the result and the hedge now looks in superb shape ready for the autumn/winter months before the growing season starts again.

Thank you to all our volunteers, it was a hard day working in the rain but everyone remained cheerful.

Denise, Worksite Leader

Footpath work at Speke on Sunday 20th August 2023

We had a bit of a lie in today with a 10:30 start but on arriving early at 10 we were surprised to be met by four Merseyside volunteers who unfortunately thought it was a 10 o'clock start!

Not to worry, Ian came out to meet us early anyway and started to explain today's job.  We were to be working in the woods next to the car park and as it has been at least ten years since they had laid the footpath it had lost its outline.  They are now starting a major project to reinstate/redefine all their paths.  So with loppers, spades and brushes plus Andy S's thrashers we set to work.  Being rather optimistic we thought we could work through until an early lunch seeing as it was a later start.  Wrong!  It was such hard work and very warm that we caved and stopped for a brew.

Footpath before ...

... and after

Throughout the morning we were having to stop to let the many dog walkers past but by afternoon that had quietened down somewhat although the car park was very busy.  We started to lose our path a few times but when Ian joined us just as we were ready to finish for the day he was amazed how much better it looked.  It appears that the many years of people and dogs wanting to take the shortest route had caused the original path to be lost and overgrown with brambles etc.

Thanks to Ian for a tough but enjoyable workday, thanks to our friends from the Merseyside group who we worked alongside and thanks to my colleagues for their hard work.  Also wishing Ian all the best for his forthcoming operation.

Christine

Hedge trimming at Speke Hall on Sunday 21st August 2022

Five of us made the trip to Merseyside today to spend the day at Speke Hall.  It was Daniel's first visit since April 2019!  He and David carshared from Styal (crossing the Mersey Gateway bridge both ways) whereas Andy, Christine and Chris went direct.  Ranger Ian met us at 10:30 and set us off on the task which was to cut back a hedge on one side of the car park.  We used our loppers and Speke's shears (very sharp and a joy to use) and formed brash piles at intervals along the hedge for Ian and his colleagues to fetch up next week.

It was a bright sunny day and we were glad of the shade from the trees that we worked under.  All day long aircraft, particularly Easyjet, took off from Liverpool airport next door.  The later than usual start meant we didn't have our morning coffee break until 11:30 and then took lunch at 1.

The car park got very full after lunch.  Ian spent the morning repainting white bay markings in the car park so that in anticipation of a busy August bank holiday weekend more cars will be able to squeeze in.

Before we left some of us took up Ian's offer of a look round the Hall.  We finished the task at 3:30 and as a thank you Ian gave us 20 Easter eggs to share between us!!  They were surplus stock from April's Easter activities with a best before date of the end of September.  Thank you Ian!

Daniel

Footpath Clearance at Speke Hall - Sunday 22nd May 2022

Seven of us made the journey to Speke Hall on 22nd May, the workday was suppossed to be himalayan balsam pulling but when we got the there the balsam was too small to pull so ranger Ian organised for us to undertake some footpath work near the pond.

The soil/gravel footpath had become overgrown over a number of years and the rangers wanted it to be useable again.  When we arrived the footpath edging was hiding underneath lots of soil and overgrown vegetation so the task was to dig out overgrown vegetation and sweep away excess soil to uncover the original footpath.  It was like a 'time team' challenge!

                      Footpath at the start of the workday.  Two members working together to dig and sweep.

During the day we did a spot of litter picking around the area where we were working and you unearth some interesting items!

    

                                                                    Litter picking.

                                            

                           Groupwork digging out overgrown vegetation to widen the path.

                                        Clearning and exposing the fishing enbankement.

    

                                            Footpath cleared between two fishing spots.

    

                                            Completed excavation of fishing spot.

During the day the rangers joined the group to start clearing lily's from the pond using lily cutters purchased from America.

                                            Ranger showing us how it is done!

                                           

                                                   MNTV volunteer having a go a lily cutting.

                                                Nearing the end othe workday.

                                                    Path clearned at the end of the workday.

                                                        To be continued.....looks like the end of a disused railway track!

                                                                        Group photo.

Speke Hall have a regular group of volunteers that will be continuing the footpath clearance, not sure how much more will be done but we are back at Speke on 3rd July so watch this space.....

Thanks to Ian, his team and my colleagues for a great workday (but back breaking).

Denise

Himalayan Balsam Pulling at Speke Hall - 1st August 2021

 

We had a good turnout for Speke Hall on 1^st August to clear Himalayan balsam from a couple of areas near the car park. 

The first area was a field which was ready to be cut back, a lot of the balsam had already been removed by previous volunteer groups so it was like finding a needle in a haystack at first.  The field was very pretty with lots of wildflowers, such a shame that it will all be cut back.  As we moved across the field there was a large strip containing balsam but it was very tricky to remove due to the sheer number of thistles.

We then moved onto a second wooded area near a fishing pond and did a spot of litter picking whilst there and found a very neatly made empty birds nest. 

 

Adjacent to that was another large field and bingo lots of balsam which was easy to pull up.

A very rewarding day and I enjoyed being back at Speke for what was the best part of two-three year break.  Note to self – pay the bridge toll on the day!