Holme Bank Wood this morning, for more bracken bashing and stake and guard retrieval. Very warm and midgy up there, lovely views of the reservoirs though. This site is an ongoing attempt to add to semi-ancient woodland on the edge of the Reservoirs. There is some seriously deep bracken up there though, so we need to keep going back to get light to the smaller trees. Some of the birch look like they have some kind of blight, but others look ok so far. Some birch are self seeding on the rockier parts of the hillside. Rowan is also self seeding, and a few small oak.
Guy thinks there is lots of scope for further planting here and the other side of the reservoirs.
That's Duncan wrestling with a stake under a bush
And that's me with my midge net on, demonstrating how not to remove a guard.