Peak Park Conservation Volunteers

Posts Tagged ‘Peak Park Conservation Volunteers’

The Thirty-Nine Steps (above Eyam)

Posted in Residential weekends, Steps, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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

Work in progress

Volunteers at work

Work in progress

The completed steps

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Shoreline hedges at Tittesworth

Posted in Hedgelaying, Residential weekends, Woodland management, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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

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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Replacing a boardwalk

Posted in Paths, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers on May 19, 2019|

This weekend we were back near Tittesworth Reservoir working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers. Sadly, parts of a boardwalk we helped construct back in 2011 have now been condemned as having rotten supports, so this time we were replacing parts of the structure with a path.

We also had a chance to check on the progress of the hedge we worked on this past February and last October, and were pleased to see it’s doing well! See updated pictures here.

Volunteers at work

Rotten boardwalk support

Volunteers at work

Canine volunteer

Volunteers at work

A completed stretch of path

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Willow and snow at Tittesworth

Posted in Coppicing, Hedgelaying, Ponds and lakes, Residential weekends, Willow structures, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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

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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Willow hedge and willow tits

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Willow structures, Woodland management, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers on October 15, 2018| 2 Comments »

This past weekend was our final residential weekend of the year, working for the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers. On Saturday we were on the shores of Tittesworth Reservoir, creating a willow hedge to prevent walkers and dogs from disturbing an area using by ground-nesting birds. On a very wet Sunday we were at a different nearby site, this time enhancing the habitat for willow tits by creating standing deadwood. An excellent trip – in spite of the rain and a recalcitrant fire alarm in our accommodation!

Update, February 2019: we returned to our willow hedge during our first weekend away of 2019, and extended it further along the shore.

Gap to be filled with willow hedge

Volunteers at work 1

Volunteers at work 2

Volunteers at work 3

A dog tests the barrier

The completed willow hedge

Creating willow tit habitats

Creating deadwood for willow tits, and habitat pile

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Elusive snow in the Peaks

Posted in Fencing, Residential weekends, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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

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 Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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 Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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

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 Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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

Horses

Volunteers at the end of the day

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Pennine Way: spades, mattocks and paws

Posted in Paths, Residential weekends, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers 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!