U can never find a Gripple when u want one!

I thought I would start my blogging with a retrospective view of my early experiences working 'alongside' the newly labelled [2011] National Trust Rangers during 2011. This may take a few postings, depends on how much I want to share before recording current experiences. I intend to adopt a humorous style but would hope that the underlying messages concerning the essential upkeep of our countryside and the often 'invisible' behind the scenes work  does filter through.

Having been released from my 'office' environment into the big outside with nothing more than my general interest in the great outdoors, a reasonable level of fitness, boundless enthusiasm but little in the way of skills,  I was confident I could be an asset. I also had by this time some solid experience working in 2 of the NT gardens under 2 head gardeners both female. So as I could handle a Mattock ,  compost and   a variety of other core tasks I had developed a skill set in the gardens which I thought would be a good start working for a NT Ranger.

So my initial work was with Senior Ranger Martin {later with Mike, as M&M - not sweets or RAP} and early summer 2011 I was introduced to the black art of FENCING!  Upkeep of boundaries for controlling livestock and public access is obviously key. So after a lot of preparatory work by Martin I climbed into the Defender & 'we' set off to the wild Cotswold countryside to remove a temporary access gate and to re-connect the original stock wire fence. I think Martin soon realised I might be a challenge as my natural passion for all things new and my questioning nature revealed itself {I talk a lot} .

Anyway I started to appreciate what went into what experienced Rangers would label 'mundane' / core work as we went 'off road' towards the boundary fence that we would be working on.  I guess my confidence took a dip when I struggled on several basic tasks Martin pushed in my direction. I could do them but not without a struggle not something Martin's last legendary volunteer Adam !  would have a problem with. So for example why is it that there are so many different ways of locking or securing access gates in the countryside, the defender didn't have central locking and who an earth would know that Gripples come in different sizes!

So I ought to end this first blog with a brief explanation of two key bits of engineering associated with joining wire fences together. The mighty Gripple is the joining link between the fence wires {which come in different sizes}. They with the even more impressive Monkey Strainer, which ensures suitable tension is achieved when reconnecting the fence wires, get the job done without the need for inserting a fence post ( another topic worthy of mention but not now}.

Anyway having failed to find the Gripple of choice that key skill imagination ,  that most Rangers seem to possess , kicked in and the job was completed and the boundary secured to standard and timescale. So began my slow but sure development of 'countryside' vice 'garden' skills and the obvious need for Martin to develop his patience levels as we began to build a working relationship..