April 2015 - lots of planting and more Green Gym days

Ongoing work to flatten the Meadow. 

2nd April

Forget-me-not, Wood Anemone and Primrose planted in the Top Strip. 

6th April

(Easter Monday). Wood Cranesbill planted in Top Strip. 

7th April

White Violets planted in Top Strip. Ponies collected and taken to Geltsdale. Campion planted on grassy bank in SW corner, Alchemilla and Wild Strawberry planted on Crag. Bendy Larch in NE Strip felled; stile built at western end of Top Strip. 

8th April

Purple Violets planted in top strip; Larch felled in NE plantation. Pied wagtails on top grazing.

10th April

Green Gym: Pat freed more trees in Pit Wood; Tim planted Teazel and Honesty on spoil heaps west of Meadow; Sally planted Leopard's Bane, Monkshood and Dame's Violet in Pit Wood near the spring; John made a stile into the Pit Wood; Clare did more Meadow flattening!

11th April

Green Gym: Mel and John felled the second bendy Larch in the NE plantation; Sally planted Bladder Campion, Solidago and Yellow Loosestrife on spoil heaps in the Top Strip; Clare and Sally started the Ramsons Ramble at the far end of the Top Strip path; Clare continued to hone her mattock management skills on the Meadow. Mel and John planted one Rowan and one Birch from Sally. Stoat hunting at east end of the Crag base.

13th April

John rotovated the eastern quarter of the Wildflower Meadow and 2 paths from the gate to the stiles in the north fence. More work on these paths and banking up the edges of the wet areas in the Meadow. More mattocking.

Seed mix (Sweet Cicely, Garlic Mustard, Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip and Weld) scattered in Scrub, on Top Grazing and along eastern edge of Meadow. 

17th April

We decided to distribute the plug plants around the Meadow by delineating several circles laid out with string and apportioning the plants between them.; Foxglove and Hedge Woundwort planted under Hawthorn stands on Meadow; Wood Sorrel planted in Top Strip and more Geranium Sylvaticum. Brash on paths. 

18th April

More path brash in Meadow; 3 circles planted, one by entrance; Plantains to ward off serpents and serpent-like thoughts planted in quincunx and triangle either site of gate; tray of Sweet Cicely seedlings planted on north edge of Scrub; discovered bank of Cowslips on spoil heap west of Meadow. 

19th April

Trip to Egglestone Hall Gardens to buy 3 Spindle Trees, 1 Wild Cherry, 1 Damson and 1 Rowan. 

20th April

1 more circle planted; Wild Cherry, Damson, Rowan planted. (NB we were to discover later that planting specimen trees on a meadow is Not a Good Thing, so we had to move them!)

22nd April

Bird box survey.

23rd April

Eastern quarter of Meadow seeded. 

24th April

2 more circles and 3 Spindle Trees planted.

25th April

Spoilheap planting.

27th and 28th April

Digger for roadway from lower entrance and ponds on Meadow.

29th April

Bonfire prep.

John helping to flatten the meadow

Pat - Tree-Freer in Chief

Result of rotovating

Bramble helping Tim plant on the spoil heaps

Sally planting in the Pit Wood

Ganymede and Anonymous awaiting departure

Specimen trees on the meadow

Meadow path

More meadow trees

Plug plants waiting to go in

Spindle Trees west of the Meadow

February 2015 - bird box alterations

13th February

We realised we needed a gateway to give access to the lower part of the land. Hal helped with clearing this new entrance and completing removal of hunt jump and re-walling. 

14th February

Both above tasks completed. Bird box entrances altered. 

19th February

Snipe on Wetland; hare on Top Grazing.

Hunt jump before

Emboldened Emily meets emboldened Ganymede

Hunt jump gone

Where there was wall...

The cap is not a permanent fixture

...we now have a gate

First fire festival party

Having spent January working on the lower entrance, on 1st February 2015 we held our Imbolc fire party. Fire and ice make a great combination. Thanks to Sally and Jane B for photographs.

We made a cross of St Brigid from of rushes from the Wetland. Such crosses were to protect from harm. Clare also made a broom from fallen twigs to sweep out the old and make way for the new. 

December 2014 - time to deliver Christmas trees

2nd December

Keith came to advise us on the Wetland - he affirmed idea of digging out ponds where the water is backing up. 

3rd December

We met at The Rat with Robert Charlton to talk about the possible ways to pump overflow water from the spring. 

7th December

We planted 21 Willows on the wetland. 

15th December

We cut down and delivered Christmas trees. 

31st December

Juliet came to take 4 ponies away.

November 2014 - willow cuttings and family help

16th November

We helped Wenda and Matthew take down a Willow tree and we collected a trailer load of cuttings for Liddells. 

18th November

Nick, landscape historian and fellow chorister, visited and suggested that there might have been a wood on what we call the Wetland. There are certainly tree stumps remaining. He says:

'I think that the southern boundary of the wood is the stone in my attached photo (together with a stretch of old wall below the little old Oak near the stone). If this is right, then the wood was on the north-facing slope below the stone and on the low ground visible in the back of the photo which has deep trenches running across it. The stone, the remnant of wall and the trenches all look pretty ancient to me. This makes your wood - if it still survived (there's a Scots Pine on the low ground - visible on my photo - which presumably survives from the wood) pretty old and so it may have been an ancient wood. The trenches could well have been made to enable planting on that low, badly drained ground - such an approach to planting is an 18th century method. Also a lovely line of old Beech beside the wall by the lane - these look early 19th century to me.'

(John has since measured the roadside Beeches and calculated them to be roughly 240 years old)

23rd November

Hal and Beth gave us a day's work. Beth and Clare fixed the wire netting (stitching and stapling) on the Wildflower Meadow; Hal and John fixed the netting to the posts.

In spite of the protective fortress, the ponies managed to get in and eat some of the willows. Maybe they had a headache...

The stone Nick suggests might mark the boundary of an earlier wood

October 2014 - planting for spring, planning for a spring

4th-5th October

Work on rainwater collection system. Neil/Lesley and Sally and family chose their Christmas trees.

8th October

Our mains water supply ceased. 

13th October

Met with Robert Charlton to discuss possibilities of using spring overflow. Treecreeper in Hawthorn on Wildflower Meadow. Robbie has completed top barbed wire and most of fence posts for Meadow. 

18th October

John worked on hurdle for Meadow; Clare planted 120 English bluebells and 100 snowdrop bulbs in Top Strip. 

26th October

All chippings bagged; general tidy on Meadow area. 

28th October

Dave H and John did more felling in Top Strip.

30th October

Mel and John did more thinning and brashing in Top Strip. 

Rainwater collection system

Fungi - we really must learn to identify them

The meadow hurdle completed

September 2014 - first stoat sighting!

6th September

Open Day for friends' work - Neil did more damming and sourced spring below Crag; Jane E and Sally did more brashing in Top Strip; John and Robbie put in 4 fence posts for Meadow; Clare worked on cleaning ivy off top wall and opening space in Top Strip; Pat freed more trees in the Pit Wood.

Week beginning 8th September

4 panels and trough painted for rain water collection on Top Grazing; all bags of chip now in Top Strip; John saw a stoat (Top Grazing) and deer coming from Pit Wood into Scrub; the blackberries are in abundance and excellent; more ivy cleared off top wall; more Black Medic seeds sown and Wild Carrot and Wild Parsnip. 

14th September

Last 2 posts in for Meadow fencing; more clearing in Top Strip, painting completed for rainwater collection. 

16th September

We met Ian Everard (Forestry Commission) - advised on thinning. 

Results of brashing

Opening the Top Strip

A gateway waiting for a gate

Fly Agaric in the Scrub

August 2014 - one year anniversary and lots of Green Gym work!

7th August

One year as owners - breakfast at Liddells. 

8th August

Surveys evening - Gary and Jane, Tim and Jane, Mel and Cath, Keith and Rachel joined us for a thank you meal at home. 

10th August

Green Gym Day 2 cancelled because of forecast, which proved accurate, however we opened up the site to plant Rosemary T's Oak tree. 

14th August

Green Gym Day 3 - shredded all of bottom brash pile; tubes collected from Top Strip and Pit Wood; rushes dug out of Wildflower Meadow; much rain! Frog unearthed. Mel's wildflower survey.

20th August

We visited Little Sparta which prompted more ideas to be followed up. We felt challenged to think more about what we want from this project.

23rd August

Green Gym Day 4 - we were joined by Mel, Gary, Hal, Neil, Sally, Jane W, Tim and bagged 30 bags of shreddings, made 2 and started on a third dam on the Wetland, brashed in the Top Strip west of the spoil heaps. Once again we had to battle the rain, however everyone declared they had a great time!

24th August

We visited to see the effect of the damming - there was water holding in the potential pond at the west end of the bottom of the Crag and at the second site midway along the northern edge of the proposed Wetland. 

28th August

Work to protect the Oak (donated by Rosemary T) in the Top Strip. 11 Wood Anemone plugs planted in the Top Strip. 

29th August

Oak tree planting completed. Visit from Ian Everard to return English Woodland Grant Scheme application and discuss next moves. 

Tim and David rushing to remove the rush...

and finding this frog

Making friends

Damming in progress

Brashed area of Top Strip

Damming successful

Rosemary T's donated oak

First Green Gym Day!

Our first Green Gym Day: Mel, Neil H, Jane E, Sally, and Thomas and Emily (grandchildren) chipped all the brash on the Top Grazing, bagged it, and spread it on the new path in the Top Strip. Large quantities of Hard Rush dug out of Wildflower Meadow and some tussocks removed. Field poppy and Black Medic seeds sown there and on Top Grazing. When we looked through our photographs later, we seemed to have more of people having lunch and making friends with the ponies than of any work done, except by Sally's grandchildren, however we did do a huge amount!

Not working party (Tim's photo and caption)

Still not working party (ditto)

Avoiding work party?

Neil's mattock management - at least one adult seems to have done some work

But the hard work prize goes to Emily (and her brother Thomas)

Evidence of work achieved 1...

2...

and 3

June 2014 - more planting in the meadow

21st June

Restrimming path in Top Strip; path creation in Top Strip. 

26th June

Yellow Rattle seeds grubbed into wildflower meadow; work on high seat in NE Strip. 

27th June

John and I went round with Mel on a wildflower survey. 2 cuckoos heard nearby. 2 very large clusters of peacock butterfly caterpillars in Top Strip. 

30th June

More Yellow Rattle seeds grubbed into western section of wildflower meadow. Pair of bullfinches on Meadow seen from high seat. 

Honeysuckle on the Wetland

Common Spotted Orchid in the Pit Wood

Ragged Robin on the Wetland

Peacock butterfly caterpillars on nettles

May 2014 - the bird boxes prove popular; more planting and surveying

2nd May

Pair of willow warblers in larger of two large willows in Scrub. Herb Robert near neighbour's piglets; Daisies in Wildflower Meadow; Violets, Cowslips and Wood Sorrel in Pit Wood; transplanted Wild Garlic in Pit Wood now in bud; Cuckoo Flower (Lady's Smock) in verge west of Pit Wood; Self Heal, Water Avens, Violets and Sweet Woodruff in NW corner of Pit Wood; small pond found behind Oak adjacent to west wall in verge. 

14 nest boxes mapped:

  • Box 2 - 2 eggs
  • Box 12 - moss/hair
  • Box 8 - moss/feathers
  • Box 11 - 4 eggs
  • Box 9 - 3 eggs

All others empty. 

Blackcap heard in Pit Wood. Unidentified fungus on fallen branch in Pit Wood east of Nest Box 7 (photographed however photograph very poor; let's hope we can find it again). 

4th May

Remaining 6 bird boxes mapped - no activity; work started on high seat west of North-east Strip; Cowslips by spoil heap; peacock butterflies and small tortoiseshell, 2 unidentified whites; more work to clear SW boundary fence. 

5th May

More work on high seat and W boundary fence; Primroses on N facing slope of Pit Wood near spring; Stitchwort in Pit Wood; Marsh Marigold planted on S facing edge of spring run off pipe. 

15th May

Mel's wildflower survey - over 30 species recorded. 

16th May

We arrived early to meet Keith for a bird survey, and found mist sitting in the valley over the Pit Wood. We recorded 20 bird species seen and/or heard; highlights were garden warblers and tawny owl roosting on a Sycamoor in Pit Wood. Nest building in Box 12; blue tit sitting on 9 eggs in Box 8. 20 Setanta seed potatoes planted in Top Strip. We found our first Bluebells coming up in the Top Strip.

20th May

Second bumblebee survey. Hare on top grazing - it ran from its form as we approached down the verge. 

23rd May

Eggs hatched in Box 8; blue tit chicks in Box 11; tawny owl flew out of hawthorn at east-most point of orchard (7.45am). 

Herb Robert

Wild Garlic

Sweet Woodruff

Bugle

Violets

Cuckoo Flower (Lady's Smock)

Stitchwort

Clearing on the SW boundary

Marsh Marigold planting

Water Avens

Bluebells

Mist in the valley

Ex-citing new residents - the arrival of the Exmoor ponies

21st April

Easter Monday: Juliet Rodger delivered six Exmoor ponies, which cantered to the west edge and got on with the business of grazing.

No 2 bird box now has down on top of the moss; first Cowslip out on the path down to the Orchard. 

Arriving

Settling

Comforting

Grazing

Opening

Early April 2014 - beaks and troughs

1st April

Pussy Willow in Scrub below Top Grazing; Larch in flower in Pit Wood. 

2nd April

Crab Apple moved from home to Orchard. 

4th April

Brashing and strimming on Wrigley Walk in Top Strip. Juliet Roger from the Moorland Mousie Trust visited to discuss the possibility of her Exmoor ponies grazing the land. All parties in agreement, they arrive the week after next!

6th April

Wrigley Walk now cleared along its length. A sparrowhawk flew out of the quarry area, a peacock butterfly was on the gorse near the gate. We saw swallows on the corner by Crag House on our way home. 

12th April

Fence on southern edge of Pit Wood repaired and hurdle into orchard. 

13th April

Brashing along southern edge of Pit Wood; water trough cleaned; 2 bumble bees on top pasture; moss in Nest Box 2. 

14th April

More brashing on southern edge of Pit Wood; bird boxes up in Pit Wood, verge and top strip; work on trough (much flooding!). Ladybirds everywhere, several bumblebees and peacock butterflies; hunting buzzard; Mel doing wildflower survey. 

15th April

More work on water trough; more bird boxes in Pit Wood; Wrigley butterfly survey; work started to clear southern tip of western boundary fence. Deer ran out of Pit Wood, across Wetland up Crag, over Top Grazing and jumped into top plantation. Wood Sorrell at west end of Top Strip. Butterflies (peacock). 

16th April

Wild Cherry blossom in plantation; trough finished; more work on western boundary fence (stapling complete); 5 bird boxes in top plantation. 

18th April

Moss in bird box 8; more moss in number 2; chiffchaff seen and heard in Pit Wood. 

Wood Sorrel emerging where brashing has let light in

Rainwater collection trough under construction (thanks Lynne & Richard for the photograph)

The leisurely position for fixing a bird box

Wild Cherry in blossom in the Top Strip

March 2014 - primrose premiere

3rd March

Mel came and helped John move a Damson tree from home to the orchard area. 

10th-12th March

John builds a stile into the roadside plantation, close to the entrance gate and we start clearing in that corner to create a path inside the fence for Tim to use on his butterfly surveys (Wrigley Walk?!). 

We plant Snowdrops round the cross base, Wild Garlic in the Pit Wood, 3 Speedwell plants in the wildflower meadow; hang 2 bird boxes in the scrub area and plant 2 Oak trees (from Keith and Rachel and Fran and Martin [Tynedale Community Choir]).

19th March

Wildflower survey number 3 - first Primroses are out in the Pit Wood. 

21-22nd March

More work on 'Wrigley Walk'.

25th March

Path through the scrub area cleared. 

26th March

Further work on Scrub path and 2 bags of Snowdrops from Fran and Martin planted on the land. 2 curlews flew over towards the south west corner. 

29th March

Jane K plans a transect walk for a bumble bee survey. 3 Honesty plants introduced to Wildflower Meadow. 

Preparing to replant the damson

Damson in it's new home

One of the oak saplings in the North-east Strip

Alder catkins

Kissing is in fashion when gorse is in flower

Pit Wood primroses

The first of what will be many stiles 

Wild Garlic 

February 2014 - birdboxes and snowdrops to mark Valentine's day

2nd February

Scarlet Elf-cap fungus identified. 

6th February

Brashing complete in NE Strip.

7th February

Brashings removed; Snowdrops seen at last!

9th February

John made a stile into the NE Strip.

10th February

North East plantation boundary fence repaired. 

14th February

We hang bird box number 1 for St Valentine's day and see the first of the Snowdrops we had planted last year.

19th February

Wild flower survey number 2. 

20th February

Clare saw a treecreeper, female bullfinch and heard a song thrush in the NE Strip; snowdrops on the road verge either side of the entrance gate. 

Scarlet Elf Cap Fungus

Snowdrops in the North-east Strip 

Our Valentine's Day bird box