A photographic diary of our volunteering activities
We cleared brambles and scrub from ditches beside a ride which runs through the forest, having walked through a sea of buttercups to get there. This effort is a small help towards preserving a landscape which has remained relatively unchanged for centuries. CNTV visited the Forest before in 2009; here’s a photo from that work.
After we had cut some of the undergrowth (Photos: Paul H.)
We worked in two groups, building a path and planting in the gardens, which was continuing its tradition of rather realistic scarecrows. Thanks to Paul H. for all of the following photos:
Top: Building the path; Bottom: Working in the gardens (Photos: Paul H.)
(Paul H. writes:) We arrived in Ashdon to park by the church in ominous heavy rain, but it was just clearing by the time all ten of us had gathered (Joan, Lop, Ruta, Clyde, Andrew, Sarah, Tom, Rob, Clive and Paul). We set off in the dry and soon everyone’s waterproofs were packed away.
The first part of the walk zig-zagged round fields with regular stops to study the map, look at the compass, study the map again then change direction. We then reassuringly joined a path which Lop recognised and were soon at the restored Ashdon Windmill and a mid-morning break. After this, we continued along good footpaths to the dramatic remains of Barlow Hills, a Romano-British burial ground with three impressive burial mounds for a picnic on the top of the highest one.
Top-left: Ashdon windmill; Bottom-left: Bartlow Hills (Photos: Paul H.)
Set off via St Mary’s Church and into Bartlow village then back to Ashdon passing a cross-country unicyclist on the way. Some more map-work to make sure we didn’t miss the vital stop at the tearoom by Ashdon Museum. A welcome tea and cake served in style with colourful hand knitted tea cosies. Looked round the museum then back across fields to the cars.
We helped create some community allotments near Anglesey Abbey under Iwan’s supervision. There was a plan (pictured) to arrange the allotments as a central area with radiating spokes. It was our task to dig over this central area such that cultivation could start. (Photos: Roger J.)
We installed new iron tree guards, demolishing the old wooden ones in the process. The new guards were made on the property and had to be painted. We needed to cut back some trees in order to make them fit!
Clockwise from top left: Installing the guards; Clare removing the old wooden guards; Laura and Ruth installing an iron guard and dealing with an awkwardly-shaped tree (it was eventually cut); Simon (Wimpole staff) cutting branches from a tree (Photos: bottom-left – Andrew S.; rest – Mark T.; click for an enlargement)
Another trip to clear the moat, following on from our earlier visit in 2008. Pete says: “It was a very good day with lots of happy faces...and ice cream treats from the warden”.
Clockwise from top left: Before; Lopping; Burning; After (Photos: Andy T.; click for an enlargement and to reach other pictures)
We worked in a coppiced woodland collecting materials for hedging. The pictures below show how we made stakes.
Left: Cutting stakes; Right: Sharpening them (Photos: Mark; click for an enlargement)
(Tom writes:) Good task today despite the rain and had four new members, Jenny and Hannah for the whole day and Ruth and Laura arrived after lunch. Mainly shredding off cuts left over from the hedge laying competition last week in a shredder on the back of a tractor. The remaining section of the fence was also laid.
Left: Start of the day, lots of offcuts to shred; Right: End of the day, shredded lots of offcuts (Photos: Tom; click for an enlargement)
Left: Tony and Hannah finishing off the hedge laying; Right: Wood chips from the shredded offcuts (Photos: Tom)
We helped with the annual event, assisting with tickets, the restaurant and garden stewarding. Here’s what everyone came to see:
Snowdrops (Photos: Mark; click for an enlargement and to reach other pictures)
(Roger writes:) The day was cold but with blue skies.
We headed south west from West Perry near Grafham water on a circular tour taking in Perry West Wood, part of the Three Shires Way, the South West edge of Grafham Water and back to West Perry for late lunch. There are also several bird hides along the edge of Grafham Water, plenty of water birds to see. There was also some repairs to the edge of Grafham Water which has suffered erosion, interesting to note how trees and bushes reduce erosion (see photo).
Around Grafham Water (Photos: Roger; click for an enlargement and to reach other pictures)
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