Bridge repairs

This is not a troll but a blacksmith looking at one of our bridges with a view to installing new steel decking and handrails.

Sent from my Windows Phone.

Youth Rangers Group

We are going to start up a youth Ranger group meeting at weekends. Probably Sundays. Do you know a young person that would be interested in joining? Ages between 14 - 18. Drop us a line. We will be doing practical work as well as carrying out surveys and other countryside related work.

Blogging mobile

If this works then we should be able to blog on the go?

Sent from my Windows Phone.

Arrival of Spring

It would seem that Spring has arrived at last. The birds are very noisy now in the mornings and as it draws dusk. Three crows have been nest building locally, breaking off branches then flying to a nearby oak tree to weave them into the new nest. Why three crows have been involved here is a mystery? Two have been seen in recent days though, perhaps the third was just confused?

Hedges are starting to flush with new growth and the landscape greening up. Ploughing last years arable fields has begun. The smell of freshly turned earth is certainly a smell of spring, as well as the neighbours newly cut lawn.

I had a meeting with a contractor yesterday to look at one of our bridges on the estate. It's called 'Centenary Bridge', built to commemorate the National Trust's centenary in 1995. The bridge hasn't weathered all that well and has been closed off for the last couple of months as it was in a dangerous condition. 

It's a steel structure but clad with wood. The aim is to remove the wood, which is the part that's failed and replace this with steel components. When it's all painted black it will look very smart in its position in the wood.

Meeting With The RSPB

We'll know more tomorrow, but I have a meeting with the RSPB in the morning to talk about setting up a Wildlife Explorer Group here at Styal. This is an exciting development for the property.

more about this tomorrow.

Wind Issues

Recent high winds have caused us a few problems. Having access all across our site and lots of old trees, when we get high winds, it's never a good mix.

There have been two fatality's caused by the wind in the country, with one tree in the South falling onto a van, killing the chap inside. The other was on a ship hit by a large wave.

We didn't experience the very high winds others had, one recorded over the Pennines was 111mph! Ours hit 60mph in a gust.

It did however cause a little bit of damage to trees. We still have one path closed due to a hanging branch, awaiting a tree surgeon. The other trees we were able to deal with ourselves.

The weather has now settled and turning cold again, but at least it's dry....for the time being.