Carry on, mind that chicken!

Dave, Duncan, Neil, and chicken, and whiskey.

Our first week at Glen View Marsden, where there are quite a lot of trees to be planted. Thanks to Brian we had a good turnout, with Richard, Roger and Ramsay joining us. Old stalwarts comprised me, Philip, Neil, Dave, Trevor, Peter, Brian, Geoff, Heidi, Duncan - and making a special guest appearance Ali. Neil and Sarah the landowners also pitched in, and were a bit taken aback at how speedy we were. We planted around 400 trees, which is a good mornings work. We were mildly harassed by chickens, who were excitedly looking for worms even before we had finished digging a hole. Homemade biscuits at break time. And Whiskey courtesy of Brian. Weather was kind to us, cool at first, but brightening up at the end. Fingers crossed for next week at the same site. Down the hill to the Riverhead afterwards, though some of the mature chaps went to the Vineyard, the gentlemen only club at Slaithwaite (imagine a cross between Last of the Summer Wine, and Deliverance).

Ali adopts a chicken.

Trevor surveys the distance.

Huck Hill. Will plant for soup.

The soup that was not.

Third and last week of this season at Huck Hill, and we got the majority of the 600 trees planted over the three weeks. Some were left for Iain the landowner to do later when his scrape and pond liner are in place. Weather was mixed, some drizzle and lots of low cloud, but once or twice there was a bit of brightness and a view. Lots of extra volunteers again, thanks to Rob and Mick, and to Diane and several friends. Diane had brought soup along, but her camping stove had run out of gas. So we had to make do with the home made lemon drizzle cake and luxury biscuits provided by Ian. Its nice working up at Huck Hill, but a long slog getting up there.

Apologies for not writing this sooner, Ali.

Assembled throng.

Hubris at Huck Hill

Dave, in the mist.

Well, I shouldn't have been so delighted with last week. This week was a bit more grim. Same site, entirely different weather, foggy, with snow and sleet. Plus we were in a different part of the site, which had tough grass alternated with boggy bits. Hard going. Geoff was doing more filming, we are getting used to his prescence. Our happy band consisted of Trevor, Peter, Brian, Neil, Geoff, Dave, myself, and Iain the landowner. One more week on this site should do it, it jolly well better, we still have a ton of trees to do elsewhere. It was nice warming up in the pub afterwards. Sorry, nearly forgot Duncan, who struggled manfully up the hill, but then got poorly with his asthma and had to go home.

Geoff, the docu-mentalist.

Glory, glory, glory!

Geoff and Philip on the horizon.

It is one of the unwritten rules of this lark, that the most glorious morning of the season will be the one when hardly anyone turns up. Your loss, people. It was stunning up there this morning. True, it was cold, and there was a little snow on the ground, but the sky was deep blue and the sun shone. We were high up above the Tunnel End and Canal centre at Marsden. We planted there two seasons ago, and we have a new moorland fringe field to plant up with 600 trees this season. Iain the landowner joined myself, Philip, Dave, Geoff and Diane. We had a lovely time and ate very substantial apple flapjack. Geoff made a start on his documentary about us.

Honestly, there is nothing like a bit of hard work, on a cold sunny morning, up high on a snowy hill.

Looking back down towards where we had to climb up

A cunning plan.