“Loppers, bowsaws, forks and fire”

So promised the site warden in an elliptical message just before taking a spell of leave. 

In other words, our mission today was scrub-cutting, dragging, and burning – at one of our favourite sites.  Now nothing secures the attention of our Green-Gymmers better than the alluring promise of a bonfire.  In the nicest possible way, it brings out the Wild Thing in people who are normally the most mild-mannered of folks:

First there was the matter of getting to the area where we were going to be working.  Not a question of following directions, this time: just following a landrover, which had our equipment (+ all-important tea crate) in it, until we got to the point where vehicle could proceed no further, but we could see exactly where we needed to be.  For the first part of this operation, the only potential difficulty was ensuring that sheep did not take advantage of the gate to their field being opened:

For the second phase of moving into position, the only potential difficulty was ensuring (as best one could) that no volunteer slipped on a stile which had become remarkably slippery in all the rain that had fallen over the previous 24 hours in true bank-holiday Monday style.  Thankfully, everyone managed to negotiate that obstacle without mishap.

After our experience last time at this site, we made sure that our equipment included the fire-lighting box.  It’s not exactly a gucci bit of kit, but it will do the business.  Moreover, being given the challenge of seeing whether we could get a fire going in this morning’s variable weather, Green-Gym deputy fire marshal and team were determined to see that they did.  Prepare a fire-site in mizzling rain?  Yes, Green-Gymmers are up for that:

When the breeze lets you down, wave at the fire with your jacket?  You bet:

Even so, I have seen few odder sights than a Green-Gymmer waving at a bonfire with the lid of the tea-crate – in the pouring rain:

That the fire team succeeded, is testament to the spirit of Green Gym:

It sometimes required input from a good few more Green-Gymmers.  Also there were times when the weather had spells of being considerably kinder to us:

Nevertheless, I think it a great credit to the volunteers that they had a good blaze going by 12.30 – which was when we had to stop adding to the fire, for it to be safe to leave when we had to pack up and go home.  If they paused to help themselves to some of the blackberries growing wild on site, they had earned their treat:

“Mmmm, smoked blackberry”

Meanwhile, the rest of us probably had a little more leisure to enjoy the sight – and aroma – of some of the plants, for whose benefit the area is being cleared of encroaching scrub.  Next to where we were working today was a section which we had cleared last season.  It was good to see how the chalk-grassland habitat has recovered:

In the background to the picture, can be clearly seen the line of scrub where Green-Gymmers had not been able to get last year.  (Or was it two years ago?)  The difference between the two areas is quite striking.

Where our boots trod today, the scent of wild herbs (sage?) was released:

Some of the other flowers seemed so fragile, yet determined to come good if given half a chance:

And this is the nearest you are going to get to a selfie from me.  Someone had commented that they ‘liked’ my “textured trousers”: