Bel's Wood

  With a lot of work to do before the bracken returns and a realisation that I was just not going to get it all done, I invited friends to form a working party on Good Friday. We were lucky with glorious weather and the 12 of us achieved a huge amount. Old, nasty barbed wire from a disused fence with 5 strands of wire was delicately located and removed   The wire runs between fence posts across the site - I have been told pigs used to be kept on this land which required this separation Delicate work that requires patience and one of those jobs that just needs to be done once - thank you Emma! Second box heading for the recycle centre in Kendal - when I took the first box they asked me if dated from WW1 ! Mulch mats were hammered in for nearly 50 trees Mags tackled the orchard and worked methodically round the 13 trees already planted 24 new trees were planted, mulch mats, tree guards and stakes added (8 yews, 8 wayfaring trees, 4 walnut, 1 Worcester apple tree,...

May has been cold and wet. The beck has refilled after an exceptionally dry April and the boggy areas are again sticky to walk over. Which is a relief. The blackthorn has finished and the hawthorn is now in flower with maybe a day of overlap. A few butterflies have emerged - I have spotted orange tip & red admiral. I first heard the cuckoo the morning after Beltane (1st May and the beginning of the Celtic year). A couple of friends joined me for a cook out and we jumped over the fire as it tradition!                                         The blackthorn & hawthorn keeping the bees well fed:               Blackthorn                                               ...