Firstly I visited Pateley Bridge to pick up the walling paraphernalia that James at the AONB has kindly purchased for us. We now have 2 extra walling kits consisting of a bucket, hammer, lines, goggles and chisels. We also have plenty of gloves and enough spare pairs of goggles to protect a whole rugby team. Perhaps most importantly we also have a nice new book about walling, written by the TCV. It tells us all the things we have been doing incorrectly, sorry, I mean all the things we have been doing exactly as they ought to be done.
I also met with Jan from the Tuesday volunteers to see about sharpening tools, unfortunately the AONB's set up is meant for tools which need a much sharper edge that our chisels and walling hammers. Though he says he might be able to do something for us.
After meeting Jan I ventured further up the dale to the heady heights above Lofthouse to check on how much more work was needed to complete the job at Thrope Plantation. It was freezing up there but the view was really rather lovely. I estimate about 3 to 4 Wednesdays of walling to complete the original stretch, however when I went to look at the other gaps further down the wall, they'd already been done! I think David, the farmer, might have decided we're a bit too slow and got someone else on the job.
I raced back to Markenfield for an afternoons walling with the rest of the gang.
Here are a few photos of the state of play, firstly at Lofthouse, and secondly at Markenfield.
THROPE PLANTATION above Lofthouse
The remaining section of wall to be completed.
Sections of wall that have been mysteriously completed
MARKENFIELD.
Catriona, Barry, Richard P. and Graham had put some decent height into the wall before I waltzed up at lunch time to fiddle about a bit. Here's the wall at the end of the day:-
Richard H.
Grid ref: SE 29558 67806
Map : Here
