Olympic effort at Sherborne

West Horsley, no win for Wiggo or Cav but great atmosphere!

Clarkes Close, site of new guide post 

Well, caught up with the emotions from the 2012 Olympics it felt like an Olympic effort {new event for Rio?} as we dug for GB at Clarks Close and nearby Windrush.  Unfortunately no tv coverage and my camera not available so took some liberties with this weeks photos. Day started with Mike jet washing the red tractor and the 4x4 Ford Ranger, they needed it. We set off in the morning to Clarks Close the site for last weeks den building.  It was a little warmer than the photo suggests and fortunately the ground wasn't too rocky for digging the hole for the first guide post. Interestingly what was left of the old one was still around although somewhat mangled by badgers rooting for grubs. Took a bit longer than usual since some woodwork was required to chisel out the circles for the NT direction discs. I won't be giving up my day job to take up woodwork!

After lunch we had to first deliver the red tractor to a local 'juice' business which was holding a special event and it was to be one of the attractions. We then  headed off to a site near to Windrush to replace another guide post. Maddie was along for support but didn't help when she ran off with one of the stones I hoped to use to bed in the sweet chestnut post. Still we did manage to finish the job relatively quickly and just before some friendly group of walkers were to pass by. They were pleased to see the new post which set them off in the right direction back to Sherborne and Ewe Pen Barn. Our day was not yet finished as we then moved on to Budgehill Belt  to do some woodland clearing and wood collection. We finished the day by collecting the red tractor and received our days award, not a gold medal but a much appreciated hot dog and blackcurrant juice!

Do you know the way to...

On guard! 

Started the day with Mike at Sherborne nursery splitting wood, this time to my relief some really good ash and of a 'manly' size. Yet again Sherborne seemed to defy the gloomy weather forecast and we remained dry. Once more another deserving local! on the receiving end of this Sherborne ranger wood service. By lunch time the  dry weather disappeared and at one time my days work looked under threat. However after some gentle pushing Mike was persuaded to venture down to the water meadows area to install some hefty sweet chestnut guide posts. The rain had died down but nevertheless, and inspite of the 'drought', I thought we might be better off with a canoe vice the 4 wheel drive. Have to say that apart from the water hazard I was a little wary of the usually stony ground in these parts as we began to dig the hole to place the first of the three posts in. Happily the first at least went in a treat. But 'how many tools' did it take to carry out this task. Interestingly all of 'the above' with the screwdriver for the direction arrow discs absent in the shot. At last we found a job for Maddie while we searched for it, couldn't risk losing this many tools. As is normally the case different challenges were faced for the next two posts but in true ranger fashion they were overcome and at least one local dog walker benefited from the newly installed  guide posts.

Bibury, never too early to start the swimming lessons

After weeks of rain struck lucky with Martin earlier in the week where we and a large number of multi national tourists visited sunny Bibury. The river Coln was in full spate and the water channel in between Rack isle and Arlington Row was as full as I had seen it. Martin in appropriate water gear ignored the dangers of the high and fast flowing water to carry out removal of the rapidly growing weeds. My job given I wasn't waterproofed was to wheel barrow the extracted weeds to the trailer on the main road. As it happens my other role, hugely underestimated by Martin, was to control the crowds of tourists who converged on Martin.  Have to say the most public engagement I've experienced although some of it a little trying. However it was worth observing Martin, somewhat a captive figure wading in the stream , fend off some 'trying questions' from the enthusiastic tourists. My award went to the brave person asking Martin what he was looking for! On a positive note some of the more sensible passersby appreciated this bit of conservation work and did have one or two interesting questions on 'countryside ' work in general. More of this in a future blog.