Back to Butterley

This morning we were back at Butterley Reservoir above Marsden, preparing to plant 400 trees that are coming to us from the Woodland Trust. We took 80 stakes and guards up with us, and then dug as many screefs as we could in the Molinia grass above "Where birds go to die". The Molinia grass is that golden (dry) looking windswept stuff, and there is no shortage of it. We were: myself, Geoff, Philip, Dave, Dan, Dianne, Peter, Trevor, Vashti, Steve, Hap and Remy. Cake was ginger, with lumps of stem ginger in it. Hopefully the trees will arrive at the National Trust Office this week, and we will be planting next Saturday.

Wholestone Moor, once moor

Ben and Geoff looking damp, but undiminished.

Continual heavy rain, wind and cold made it a gruelling morning for the three of us - me, Ben and Peter. But we got on with the task and planted, staked and guarded 50 quick-growing and hardy Italian alder trees to help with the slow growth of the trees planted on the site a few years ago. We enjoyed a brief break in the driving rain to eat some lovely cake (we could not identify it specifically but the general feeling was that it was a classic, almost like Plato's 'perfect cake'). Peter had to leave not long after the break leaving me and Ben to finish off. Two and a half hours or so later and the damp had well and truly seeped through but the work was done and the warmth of the Sair fire and a pint was very welcome.

Geoff

PS Simon, Guy and Philip were at the nursery, bagging logs and talking to a reporter from the Huddersfield Examiner. Many more people turned up for the mid-season meeting at 1pm in the Sair.

PPS Duncan and Harvey were at Merrydale, doing formative pruning?

Harvey, heroic wilderness hound.

Finishing up at Wholestone Moor

Jess in her Aldi lady-wellies and Hello Kitty rioter's mask.

Another windy morning, though with less bite to it than last week. We were: myself, Hap, Steve, Peter T, Peter W, Jess, Dianne, Vashti, Cath, Philip, Geoff, Dave, Andrew, Duncan and Harvey the Dog. Cake was the every popular Apple flapjack. We completed planting the 460 Sessile Oak and Italian Alder, with 40 Italian Alder left at the bottom of the hill for Brian and crew to do some remedial planting down there.

A windy day on Wholestone Moor

Hap and Stephen

This morning we began planting another 500 Sessile Oak and Italian Alder on Wholestone Moor, supplementing, or "beating-up" the slow growth on that site. We were: myself, Peter, Trevor, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Hap, Cath, Vashti, Remy, Dave, Andrew, Stephen, Philip, Steve, Ben and Geoff. Guy was also there early on to give project guidance. The weather was bright and clear, and you could see the cooling towers of Drax which is about 30 miles away, but there was a fierce cold wind, and it did get a bit sleety at the end. Cake was the ever popular lemon drizzle. We did wonder about the whereabouts of Mr Moriarty.