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Archive for the ‘Residential weekends’ Category

The Thirty-Nine Steps (above Eyam)

Posted in Residential weekends, Steps, tagged on February 4, 2020|

This past weekend was our first residential weekend of the year, working as usual with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers and staying in their volunteer accommodation near Grindleford.  On both Saturday and Sunday we worked on reconstructing a set of steps on a steep footpath above Eyam – thirty-nine steps, pleasingly!

Before starting work
Getting started
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Work in progress
Volunteers at work
Work in progress
The completed steps
The completed steps

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Shoreline hedges at Tittesworth

Posted in Hedgelaying, Residential weekends, Woodland management, tagged on September 23, 2019|

This past weekend was our third and final residential weekend of 2019, again with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers.  We were back on the shores of Tittesworth Reservoir, and were pleased to see that the lakeside hedge we worked on last October and again in the January snow is well established and providing effective protection of the shore. In a hot and sunny late summer day we did further work on the hedge to keep its rampant growth under control and to extend it further along the water.

Previously laid hedge, with new growth
Starting work
Canine volunteer digging
Work in progress
Canine volunteer resting
Work in progress
Work in progress
Work in progress
Dog and laid hedge
Laid hedge

Sunday was a greyer, wetter day but nonetheless we made good progress with a new stretch of hedge in a different location, opening up views of the lake while also protecting the shore and enhancing the wildlife habitat.

An excellent weekend all round!

Arriving at Sunday’s task
Work in progress
Volunteers at work
The opened hedge

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Willow and snow at Tittesworth

Posted in Coppicing, Hedgelaying, Ponds and lakes, Residential weekends, Willow structures, tagged on February 4, 2019| 3 Comments »

For our first weekend away of 2019 we were treated to a a beautiful sunny and snowy landscape on the edge of Tittesworth Reservoir!  Working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers, on Saturday we were coppicing willow in an area being managed as an important habitat for willow tit.  Then, on Sunday, we returned to the willow hedge that we began in October 2018, and extended it further along the shore.  This barrier, created by a combination of dead hedging and the laying of living willow, is to discourage disturbance by walkers and dogs of an area of the shore important for ground-nesting birds.

Our hedge from October
Volunteers at work – coppicing willow
Coppicing willow
Tittesworth Reservoir by night
Extending our October hedge – getting started
Laying of willow in progress
Volunteers hedging
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work on willow barrier
Volunteers at work on willow barrier
The extended hedge

Update, May 2019: Back in the area for another weekend, we were pleased to see our hedge thriving and sprouting well!

Sprouting on our previously laid hedge

 

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SACV goes to Ireland!

Posted in Paths, Residential weekends on May 27, 2018|

This month saw SACV’s first international outing!  We spent a long weekend in Ireland and joined in with voluntary work being done by Mountain Meitheal, a group of environmental volunteers who have for the past fifteen years undertaken conservation and restoration projects on mountain and forest tracks and have won awards for their work.

Our volunteer Mike is a past member of Mountain Meitheal and nobly organised the trip over to Ireland for nine SACV members.  In glorious weather, we worked with Mountain Meitheal on path maintenance and waterbar construction on Three Rock Mountain (Saturday 5th) and were taken on an instructive guided walk (Sunday 6th) around Glendalough to see some of Mountain Meitheal’s past projects.

It was a great weekend.  Very big thanks to Mountain Meitheal who gave us a warm welcome, contributed very generously to the cost of our accommodation and were informative and engaging guides to the local area.  And of course – very big thanks to Mike who came up with the idea and planned the weekend, booked the ferries and youth hostels, drove the minibus and pulled the whole thing together!

 

Walking near Bray
Volunteers at work
Shifting a boulder
Working on waterbar
Mountain Meitheal volunteer sign
Shifting a boulder
Breakfast at Knockree Youth Hostel
Walk at Glendalough
Guided walk near Glendalough
On boardwalk above Glendalough
Upper lake at Glendalough

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Elusive snow in the Peaks

Posted in Fencing, Residential weekends, tagged on January 24, 2018|

This past weekend was our first residential weekend of the year.  We were working as usual with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers, but the weekend was a little disrupted – not so much by snow as by the constant forecast of possible heavy snow!

Plans for our activities therefore had to be altered but nonetheless we were able to work on Saturday on the removal of a fence which had previously been part of a project to protect an important habitat for water shrews.  The land is no longer grazed by livestock so the need for the fence has gone and access to the brook’s bank has been restored.

By Sunday morning the snow was starting to fall so, with our other activities having been cancelled, we had the chance of a walk to enjoy it!

The water shrew – information sign
Volunteers – working on removing fence
Volunteer – working on removing fence
Dog exploring
Volunteers – working on removing fence
Volunteers – working on removing fence
Unloading the vehicle
Sign to Hathersage and Grindleford
Snow

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Rhododendron at Errwood Hall

Posted in Invasive species, Residential weekends, Woodland management, tagged on October 17, 2017|

The weekend before last saw us among the atmospheric ruins of Errwood Hall.  We spent our final residential weekend of the year working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers to remove invasive rhododendron from the grounds around the remains of the Hall.  Originally part of the Hall’s landscaped Victorian estate, the rhododendron has spread out of control over the decades, to the detriment of the woodland and its habitats.

Rhododendron for felling
Volunteers at work 1
Flag and volunteers
Volunteers at work
The drive of Errwood Hall
The south wall of Errwood Hall
The ruin of Errwood Hall
Bonfire of rhododendron
Removing rhododendron on slope
Human and canine volunteers
The path
Sign to Errwood Hall
The south side of Errwood Hall
Grave of Irma Niorthe
Above Errwood Hall and Errwood Reservoir
Steps at Errwood Hall

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Pennine Way, picking and playing

Posted in Paths, Residential weekends, tagged on May 14, 2017|

This weekend was our second trip to the Peaks this year, working as usual with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers (PPCV). On Saturday we worked on the Pennine Way to help with areas which need improved drainage. On Sunday we were very pleased to join (as two years ago) the annual Pick-and-Play day, which was again organised by Peak Mountaineering and PPCV: this followed the usual formula of litter-picking for one half of the day and then a choice of outdoor activities for the other half. This time we SACV volunteers opted for a mix of activities, including bushcraft, a guided walk, orienteering, climbing and abseiling – and as previously we had a fine time, with a torrential downpour in the middle of the day failing to dampen enthusiasm!

Before starting drainage repair on Pennine Way
Before starting drainage repair on Pennine Way
Path drainage
Completed water bars
Volunteers at Pick-and-Play
Rock-climbing at Pick-and-Play

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Preservation of a grassland hillside

Posted in Grassland, Residential weekends, tagged on January 21, 2017|

This, our first residential weekend away of 2017, was spent as usual doing some work through the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers.  The activity was to remove some encroaching hawthorn from a hillside to preserve an important grassland habitat; energetic work on a steep slope, but that and a bonfire helped to keep the winter chill away!

Volunteer at work
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Horses
Volunteers at the end of the day

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Pennine Way: spades, mattocks and paws

Posted in Paths, Residential weekends, tagged on September 26, 2016|

This past weekend was our last residential weekend of the year, working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers as usual, this time on the Pennine Way.  On both days we did some footpath maintenance – improving the drainage on parts of the path with the aim of preventing future erosion (both from flooding and from walkers being forced to divert off the route).  So plenty of work with spades and mattocks – and some especially enthusiastic digging from a couple of canine volunteers!

Volunteers getting started on the footpath and drainage
Improving the drainage from the path
Re-aligning the path
The improved path and drainage
Maintaining the path
Canine volunteer
Canine volunteer
A well-earned rest

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Flowers in Tideswell Dale

Posted in Grassland, Residential weekends, tagged on May 27, 2016|

We had a residential weekend in the Peaks back in January, when we helped clear encroaching hawthorn from a site which is being restored as a grassland habitat.  Here are some pictures – courtesy of ranger David – of how the wildflowers have lately been looking on the hillside on which we worked!

Early purple orchid
Wood anemone
Cowslips
Lady’s smock

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