Joint Volunteering Days - National Trust and Fix the Fells.

You may have heard of the Fix the Fells Partnership but maybe not? The lead in the FtFells partnership from January 2012 is the National Trust. National Trust volunteers from the North Lakes property have been involved in joint work parties with FtFells to the benefit of the countryside we all love and strive to protect.

A weblink to the FtFells is attached, please take a moment to have a look at it.

www.fixthefells.co.uk

Fix the Fells and National Trust volunteers have a lot in common, indeed some of the volunteers for Fix the Fells are also volunteers for the National Trust.

FtFells volunteers carry out most of their scheduled maintenance work on upland footpaths unsupervised but regularly go on work parties led by the National Trust upland footpath teams.

In 2011 FtFells volunteers in National Trust terms gifted 1165 days of work to the partnership.

What did we get up to with each other?

Hedgelaying on the Dunthwaite Estate in November.

Ian P a FtFells volunteer working with David who is a volunteer for both.

NT Ranger Joe watches over FtFellers Ian P and Martin.

Christine H prepares the brash for the fire.

In December our next joint venture were much needed drain repairs on the Watendlath to Rosthwaite path in Borrowdale. NT rangers Joe and Dan supervised the works.

One of the problems - a bit broken? FtFells volunteers Ian F, Jane and Peter consider what could be done.

The solution - under the expert guidance of NT Ranger Joe the old drain is dug out and replaced by a larger modern pipe, the water bar is also rebuilt.

New pipe ready to go in - there is always time for a cuppa. A mixture of volunteers from FtFells and NT in shot. Christine H, Ian F FtFells with NT volunteers Phil and Rod plus NT ranger Dan.

During the course of the day, three pipe drains, two water bars were rebuilt with several other drains of varying kinds receiving some TLC.

None of the above could have been achieved in just one day without the joint working and cooperation of the NT and FtFells volunteers led by NT rangers Dan and Joe. A good day was had by all.

Update Since the 10th September 2011

A taste of what the Buttermere countryside volunteers have been up to.

NT Volunteers Phil, Jim and Robin with NT Ranger Joe digging in foundation stones for a dry stone wall in the shadow of Grasmoor.

Well it has been a long while since the last Buttermere Countryside Volunteer post. Just a little catch up for you as to what they have been up to. It will come as no surprise to learn they have been dry stone walling, hedgelaying, drain clearing, digging in stone edges at Wordsworth House, brashing and fencing repairs. It has kept us quite busy. A big thank you goes to the National Trust Rangers Joe, Dan, Jack and Andy we have carried out work for.

A particular mention must go to the Fix the Fells volunteers with whom we had joint work parties just before Christmas at Dunthwaite hedgelaying and Watendlath replacing some broken and worn out pipe drains and water bars on the very poplular path between Rosthwaite and Watendlath. More of those in a further entry at some time.





Phil and Jim hedgelaying on the Dunthwaite Estate.

What do you do when you get safety wellies for Christmas - Yes, Big Puddle in Buttermere, have a paddle. NT volunteer Christine does the work whilst Phil and Jim keep watch safely behind the wall!!

Christine practises the "Buttermere Puddle Dance"

Which works!

NT Ranger Joe with David, Jim and Theo at Wordsworth House.

Its not all work - there is always time for tea. Phil, David, NT Ranger Dan and Geoff take a break at WWH.

If you are going to have a break, what better place could you find?

The Colourful Coast

I suppose it's understandable (perhaps even inevitable) that we immerse ourselves in the happenings on our own patch. So, I'm going to use this post to draw attention to a rather fine part of Cumbria that lies outside the National Park -the fact that I was born and raised there is entirely coincidental and I am completely unbiased in my praise of St Bees Head! It was my personal connection with the headland that first drew my attention to the Trust's work there and I became involved with the Saltom Pit project.

If you have never visited, you are missing a treat. The Trust has been a key agency in the development of what is known as the Colourful Coast project and there has been some great work done to promote access to a stretch of coast between Whitehaven and St Bees. You can read much more at the Colourful Coast website: http://www.whitehavencoast.org.uk/

There are plenty of gentle strolls along country lanes, along the beach, around the harbour and down to the historic Saltom Pit but the more intrepid walkers have a superb, cliff-top walk from St Bees to Whitehaven around the headland with views across to the Isle of Man and Scotland on offer. I'm no longer strong enough to do it and I miss it!

Wendy

All shapes and sizes

What's the use of a volunteer in the Lakes who can't contribute much to an outdoors work-team? Well, here's my work space - my kitchen table.

(I do have a study upstairs but the kitchen is so much more friendly.) I do also work sometimes at a desk in Bowe Barn and the tea there is just as good as mine! One of the advantages of working at home though is that I can take the occasional break to spend with my newish granddaughter in Hong Kong - thank you Skype.

What do I do? I'll have a go at just about any desk job and there are plenty of things falling into that category. Some begin with 'Do you think you could ...?' and I am given the time and space to find a way to do something. So there are some challenges to enliven the days - it beats day-time TV!

So, if you know somebody who can do similar, encourage them to volunteer . I'm sure there will be someone in the Trust who will be glad to have the support. Wendy

Drains and Gulley Clearing - Why you may ask!

It may not seem important to most but without the work undertaken by the NT Rangers and volunteers more damage as shown would take place trashing the fellsides and paths. All the soil and rocks could as in this case end up in the lakes and block paths. If you look closely you may see NT volunteer David part way down the wash out showing how large it is. This was caused by one nights rainfall on the slopes of Burntness Woods Buttermere.

NT Volunteer Phil can be seen digging out a blocked side drain in the rain near to the wash out.

Countryside Meets Town Part Three

You may recall we were asked to move some stone troughs and help spread some stone chippings. Hard work but the effort was worth it to improve access in and around WWH garden. Photo`s show Phil, Jim and Ranger Jack hard at work.

Countryside Meets Town Part Two - Caution Heavy Plant Crossing!

Dig up move and replant some box hedging - no problem if you happen to have a powered barrow.