Biddulph Grange Gardens - fence reinforcement 28 April 2013

Three volunteers turned out to Biddulph and were made to feel very welcome by the "garden team".  We worked with three of them clearing a space between the boundary and a fence - and then reinforcing the base of the fence with wire netting.  An attempt at controlling the entry of some wildlife into the main sections of the the garden
Once the initial pruning work had been done - we dug the trench while the garden team installed the mesh and back filled.

We all stopped for coffee and the cake we had taken with us in the morning, had lunch with some of the local volunteer stewards in the "Cheshire Cottage" and finished at about 3pm - at which point we had some rather nice tea in the "garden room" (also used and the ticket office) - with more cake - supplied by Bidduph this time.

Around the mill pond at Styal 21 Apirl 2013

Thanks to Mick for leading and for the text
A variety of tasks around the Mill Pond were presented to us at Styal. We had brambles to clear from an area on the banks of the pond, getting rid of some old chestnut paling and removing some elder to improve the views.

starting on the bramble patch

These areas finished up much clearer than before.

the bramble patch at the end of the day

The remaining task was some post and rail fencing, which appeared straightforward until the post holes were started.

The embankment round the pond had evidently been reinforced with gabions (wire cages filled with rocks) - not as easy to dig through as soil! However, the fence was extended by a few lengths by the end of the day.

We were working near the weir and the work site for the new hydro plant and fish weir that is being built. Work on these is expected to be finished by October, so the group will have the opportunity to watch the progress, having helped clear the site in January (see Styal 13 Jan 2013).

Pub Quiz at The Plough, Heaton Moor - 15th April 2013

Six of us went to The Plough in Heaton Moor last night for their weekly pub quiz.  Before the contest we gave our brains a boost by having supper: chilli con carne, pizza, burgers or salads. The hot chilli peppers on Andy’s pizza almost did for him!

The first round of the quiz (Faces) was hard.  Would any of you recognise Quentin Fortune, Alan Dale or Ivan the Terrible?  Rounds 2-5 (Pop Music, Sport, Last week, Geography) were much more to our liking.  Questions included:

Who had a 1990s hit with “You’re All That Matters To Me”?

Which two teams contested the 1978 World Cup Final?

Which banker has recently asked to return his knighthood?

There are 296 steps to the top of which Italian landmark?

After all the marks were in we were told we had tied for first place with 94 out of 120 (thanks it must be said to a generous marker)!  Megan soon found we had been undermarked (not getting full marks in the Faces round for Earl Spencer (Princess Diana’s brother)) so that meant we won the first prize of £25 of pub vouchers.  Congratulations MNTV!

Hare Hill gardens on Sunday 14th April 2013

What a fabulous day it turned out to be:-)

I must confess I was nervous at leading a workparty to clear some of the rotting leaves from the pond in the gardens, particularly when it was mentioned that the pond could be 12 feet deep in places, but I needn't have worried - 3 of our volunteers were very happy to don chest waders and go into the pond to drag out the rotting leaves using cromes (similar to rakes but the tines are longer and are bent at a 90 degree angle which makes them ideal for dragging debris from ponds).

Those of us on the bank then used rakes to grade the debris back along the edge of the pond so it looked neat and tidy.

We didn't see much wildlife while we were there, only a frog who was keen to get out of our way but we made sure that the frogspawn that was in the pond was safely moved along before we started.

There were a few visitors to the gardens and other volunteers who stopped to have a chat with us and, although it was a bit windy at times, it was a really enjoyable day!




I've since had a lovely text from Emma, the head
gardener at Hare Hill, to thank us all for the
splendid job that we'd done and the difference
it made - well done to all!!

Helsby Hill workday on 7th April 2013

Today's workday at Helsby Hill - a joint workday with Merseyside NTV - was cancelled last Friday because  of the snow conditions.  On Friday Dave Morris (ranger) inspected the worksites where we were due to carry out path work and woodland work and decided that it wasn't on.  Hard to believe given the warm spring sunshine today in Stockport but having been on the Wirral two weeks ago I can vouch for there then being ridiculous amounts of snow.

Hopefully we can schedule a workday at Helsby Hill in the summer or autumn.  It's a site that we seldom visit and it would be nice to go back there.

Pie Night in Wilmslow - 27th March 2013

This month's social was at the Coach & Four pub in Wilmslow.  Wednesday night there is Pie Night and ten of us tucked into a selection of delicious pies (Steak & Ale, Gammon & Mustard, Chicken & Leek, Chicken & Mushroom, Cheese & Onion and Seafood) with vegetables and chips/mashed potatoes.  The pie slices were generous and the food was excellent value at £8.95 per plate.  It was nice to catch up with people, a couple of whom I'd not seen for a long time, and hear what they've been up to recently when they've not been MNTVing.  Denise joined us at 9pm after we'd eaten.  Topics of conversation included people's summer holiday plans (one of our number is cruising in Alaska!), Gawsworth concerts, Ashes cricket and electric cars.  We even had a demonstration by Tim of how to 'Eskimo roll' a kayak with or without a paddle!!  All told, a very enjoyable evening.

Date for your diaries: the April social is a pub quiz at The Plough in Heaton Moor on Monday 15th April at 8:30pm.

Rhodi bashing in Stockton Wood at Speke Hall 24 March 2013

I took the day off to catch up on some much needed sleep - thanks to "Mick" for the text and photos... 

'Digging and burning were the order of the day at Speke today. We were working alongside the Merseyside volunteers again, removing rhododendron ponticum from Stockton Wood (on the left as you drive into the estate). As you can see from the photos the groups have worked here many times before and the rhody is getting very sparse.

This meant the volunteers (eight from Manchester and seven from Merseyside) were spread out through the woods and two fires were lit to avoid dragging the rhody a long way to be burnt. There were also piles of brash and some felled birch trees which went onto the fires as well.

The Head Ranger at Speke prefers the roots of the rhododendron to be dug up rather than spraying the stumps. The digging turns the soil and long-dormant wildflower seeds wake up and germinate in the clearings. The birch is being thinned to allow more light and space to help the process. We finished a little early to enjoy a tour of the Tudor hall in the afternoon sunshine.'