Diary page 10: May - August 2009

(Photos: Paul) Left : Ramsey Abbey Gatehouse and village green...Right: Gatehouse entrance.


(Photos: Paul) Left : Clearing cobwebs...Right: and dusting the woodwork.


(Photos: Paul) Left : Ooops, I think Lop said "just sweep"?.....Right: Today's volunteers enjoying the afternoon walk.

We have started work on a new footpath which will run between the entrance to the Pleasure Gardens and the Rare Breeds Farm. It is expected to take approx 2 years to complete the work as funding for the materials will need to be secured so we should have plenty of opportunity to work on this interesting project over the coming months.

(Photos: Lop) Left : Trish working up a tree...Mid: Phil removing a stump...Right: Tom lost in the laurel

OK, so not a real combine harvester, but the play one by the restaurant. Richard
the farm manager wanted to get rid of the "pink" and yellow colours so it's
now turning a gloss green. Needs a few more coats! We also started to paint the exterior
of the new staff room and meat freezer/chiller Portacabin. Lastly, Vicky and Clare
helped Emma with shire horses and wagon. A pleasant day with a variety of tasks.

(Photos: Roger) Left: Combined(!) colour change in progress.......Right: Alison in action painting the combine.

(Photo: Roger) Left: Portacabin with black edges re-painted, the white panels will eventually be green.......
(Photos: Clare) Mid/Right: Clare/Vicky helping with the Wagon and Shire Horses

A camping weekend helping property staff with the family Moonlight and Moths weekend.
For the families it was a chance to see what the gardens look like during the evening and which animals
call it home. An overnight wildlife watch for families, camping in the grounds and a unique
opportunity to explore the grounds with Moth expert John Dawson, Cambridgeshire Moth recorder.

(Photos: Tom) Left: Setting up the gazebos.......Right: Serving drinks to the families

(Photos: Tom) Left and Mid: Serving the food at the BBQ prepared by Anglesey Chef Peter and his team
(and yes we helped with the washing up as well...fortunately it's mostly mechanised!!)
(Photo: Roger) Right: Bee-keepers checking bees in the hives on the campsight.

(Photos: Tom) Left and Right: John setting up the moth traps

(Photos: Tom) ...and above are some of the many colourful moths "trapped" overnight.
Find out more about moths on the Butterfly Conservation website.
Keen to build your own moth trap and learn the best method to attract the moths? See here.

Wicken Fen - 22nd June 2009

Today our task was "filling holes" in paths. For the Fen footpaths, we soon discovered
this was not simply putting some earth or stones in the hole until it is level.
The Fen itself in very simple terms is a layer of peat floating on water. Jump up and down
on one of the footpaths and it feels quite springy. When dips/holes start appearing it is vital
that they are properly repaired, failing to do so could result in the hole "punching through"
to the water below. If this happens, repair becomes largely impossible and the path
would require re-routing. Our first task was in fact to make the hole larger - it needed
squaring off and excavating to a level depth of about 6-8 inches). Good surface growth
was carefully removed in squares (like turfs) and saved for later use. The peat materal
was also placed on tarpaulins ready for "topping off" later.

(Photo: Roger) Footpath repair in progress - turfs can be seen to the left and right
with the peat material carefully saved on the tarpaulins for later use.

Infill for the hole comes in the shape of timber, currently the planks from the old wooden
boardwalks are being recycled. First they are cut to the same length and then tied in bundles
ready for infilling. Preparing the bundles was our next job for the day, along with
"trampling" down the bottom of the hole ready for placing the tied bundles.

(Photos: Roger) Left: bundling and tying planks.....Right: no, not some ancient ritual, just "trampling" in progress

Once "trampling" was completed, bundled planks could be laid. The logs placed
along the side of the hole help prevent the bundled planks from slowly moving
sideways with footpath use and the small work vehicles passing over.

(Photos: Roger) Left: "trampling" completed.....Right: planks and logs in place with in-filling in progress.

Lastly, spaces between the logs and plank bundles are infilled with the saved peat material
and finally the turfs spread over the top to encourage re-growth. Although the finish looks
rather "ruff" now, in a few months it will settle and the vegetation will re-grow.

(Photos: Roger) Left: infilling and covering the repair.....Right: the finished path repair. In a few months
it will settle and the vegetation will re-grow.

Whilst carrying out the repair, a number of Woodcock chicks paid
us a visit to check the work was being carried out properly.

(Photos: Roger) Left: Woodcock chicks paying us a visit, Mid: common spotted orchid, Right: dragonfly - Norfolk Hawker?

(Photos: Tom) Left: stopping for a drink by the Cam.....Right: crossing the Cam at Baits Bite Lock

Todays task led by Alison involved scrub clearance from the rides and bridleways.

(Photo: Clare) Scrub clearing in Hatfield Forest

Today we were painting the metal fencing around the pond – amply hindered by the resident goose which
hissed at us all morning. The goose misjudged its flight over a metal fence nearby at lunchtime and retired
quietly to a corner of the pond to nurse it's hurt legs (see goose photo).

(Photos: Alison) Left: Mark, Fiona, Vicky and Val busy painting.........Right: "The goose!"