Even damper underfoot, but sunny overhead

As soon as we heard which village we would be travelling to for this week’s session, we had a pretty good idea what the task would be.  And therefore what footwear would be appropriate, regardless of the sparklingly clear sunshine:

Wellingtons for the workers, because sure enough, the main task was, as anticipated, in this home to the old watercress beds, water-channel clearance.  That might have been why, when he spotted the opportunity to do something different, one worker instantly leaped into action, to clear the pathway to the gate.  Or maybe he was just keen!

There certainly was an awful lot of surplus watercress (and other vegetation) to remove:

On such a lovely day, though, workers could hardly but smile as they set to:

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bridge, further downstream there was some more willow-coppicing to tackle:

The best plan seemed to be for Green-Gymmers to cut from either side:

Occasionally, it was best for volunteers to work as a pair – one either side of a recalcitrant branch.  Some targets looked quite alluring, only to prove to be the most difficult to take out.  [“Ever fallen in love? (Love???) / In love with someone / You shouldn’t’ve fallen in love with”? – Ed.]

The temptations at tea-break consisted of four different kinds of truly excellent home-made bakes:

After that, volunteers returned to work with even more vigour.  People must have been having a ball, because a pile of willow-rods grew steadily. 

25 per bundle.

– That’s rather a lot, isn’t it.

– Yes, it’s a special offer for this time of year ; 

Upstream of the bridge, there were by the end of the ball some wonderfully clear channels, and some very contented-looking workers:

 

Wet underfoot, dry on top

The WGG magic wand worked again. 

Saturday and Sunday were dank and damp; Monday morning was pretty wet too.  Wednesday’s forecast is heavy rain.  But our day – Tuesday – started gloriously.  Clear skies had given us a frost overnight; then the sun got to work:

Our RV point this morning

As members arrived (there were 16 of us altogether), most of us found ourselves having to stand with backs to the sun so as not to be dazzled:

The only snag was that the site where we were to work is also the rain catchment pond for the local housing, down the path beside the notice-board:

Wellington boots were essential to cope with the soggy and muddy ground.  The task was to continue the coppicing of the willow, which thrives on the wet ground.  At first sight, the area where we had worked before looked completely clear:

There were, however, a few willow-stools lining the sides which were earmarked by the site warden for cutting back, plus plenty more elsewhere.  So it was ‘just’ a question of cutting them down:

“It is a bit sploshy this morning!”

 

– Except that the cut timber then had to be dragged over the mud to the other side of our work area:

There another member was trimming and stacking tidily:

Most of the group had crossed the little stream on site to reach the ‘elsewhere’ of which the warden had spoken.  Others stayed back first to complete the clearance of the area where we had worked before.  Having done that, a smaller party left the fill-pond area altogether in search of the two promised “larger willows”, of which the warden had spoken in her introduction.  Those willows were not to be taken out altogether, merely relieved of certain large branches which were not only overhanging the line of a footpath, but also overbalancing the trees so much that the weight was actually lifting the bases of these venerable specimens.

Large branches fell to WGG saws, and were then reduced for carrying to the nearby compost heap:

A start was also made on trimming the new hedge-line formed.  These smaller items for removal included brambles snaking down from above, and nettles springing up below.

Meanwhile, back at the fill-pond some of the group disappeared to the other side of the meadow.  The prospect of tea and three different kinds of cake (fruit, chocolate, and coffee – variety being one of the advantages of a large work-party) brought them back to base quickly enough at the break:

The rest of us were then able to find out what they had been up to:

At session end, there was a set of contented Green-Gymmers discussing who had the muddiest trousers – and a beautifully stacked pile of willow, which was hiding behind a small sea of mud: