Hello again!

Having been chastised about the lack of blogging this year I thought it was probably high time I logged back in to update the world on our comings and goings.

Well there have been stints at Markenfield Hall, a crack at the competition wall on the Pateley Showground (not to compete but complete!), a long slog down the hill in Hackfall, a short push out at Bramhope, some rather exciting dry (ish) stone wall boundary markers for the Aonb, we've been revisited by some old Friends, made new friends and very sadly said goodbye to a good friend.

I have been shamefully missing from the wallface but that's the gist of it, I'm sure there's more and as it comes to me I'll update the blog accordingly.

So fast forward to October 2013 and we find ourselves working a lovely project for the Jenny Ruth Workshops, find out more about the fantastic work they do here http://www.jennyruth.co.uk.  We are creating a new wall adjacent to the workshop to enhance an outdoor work space.  A challenging project with curves and steps, the spirit levels are out and heavy duty equipment is in place, a stone dressing table is in the offing, this is taking walling into the next century!! Wait.., we're already there!

Over the past few weeks we've sorted the stone, laid the foundations and we're just starting the first lift.  The going is muddy but we are adequately compensated with tea breaks, hot and cold running water and on site loos!

In short we're having a blast! 

Photos below, see you soon, Em.

Roger is learning to cope with the toppers.

Paul and the incredible horizontal foundation.

Oops looked at the foundations slightly funny and they're no longer horizontal!

Cope manufactioning facility.

Looks like a very small wall has sprung up between Roderick and Roger (I think I feel a Monty Python sketch coming on!)

Chris deminstrates the finer points of using the guillotine.

Paul at Richard gather at the guillotine to witness the stone decapitation!

A Happy New Year To All (Both) Our Readers

Brrrrr!!  Yeah, yeah, I know ... no blog in December but then, given the wide readership it attracts (not), who was going to miss it?  Still, duty calls and I promised to record activity so activity I shall record.

I think there was only one particularly wet Wednesday when we all agreed that nuff was nuff and stayed at home or at least found other drier things to occupy our time.  For the rest, the group has been plugging away at Hackfall Woods with good solid progress made in the direction of the river. 

Progress uphill has been halted by an inconsiderate birch which threw itself on the wall in a mad final bid to become a Woodland Trust tree rather than Swinton Estate firewood.  Thankfully, it fell on a bit of wall which neither we nor the Hackfall Volunteers had yet tackled.

(PS Photos - courtesy of Richard P - to follow when I've worked out why the blog system has changed since November and how to upload stuff from my steamdriven laptop).

Word on the street is that the Woodland Trust has finally agreed to the necessary funding and work on the funicular railway/chairlift from the car park to the river bank is expected to start ... not a moment too soon.  Creaking bodies can manage a few hours walling (with suitable breaks for refreshment) but the slog uphill to the car park afterwards is enough to leave stronger and younger folk weak at the knees.

The main partipants (masochists) of late have been the Richards, Graham, Paul and Roger with occasional visits from other members (apologies if I have forgotten anyone).  Phillip and Catriona are on 'temporary secondment) to the Bramhope Scout HQ project where I understand they are overwintering while Pete and Anita ply them with coffee and a warm hut in which to shelter.  Softies!

Next week?  Subject to snowfall and frost levels (we spent rather a lot of time today chipping stone out of the permafrost) it'll be Hackfall again..