Complete rebuild of ruined wall at Ridge Farm on our August Training Course
RUINED WALL REBUILT AT WELL-I-HOLE FARM
NEW CORNER AT OLD BARN
It was all on the ground yesterday
CHEEK END OF COMPLETE REBUILD AT OLD BARN
Cheeky Enders
Work in progress at Roundhill
New wall in the making
Retaining Field Wall along Ridge Lane, Diggle
Major Retaining Wall Repair at St John the Evangelist Church, Facit, Whitworth
Boundary wall at Denshaw Church
Ascending Field Wall above Diggle Old Road
Complete Rebuild of Field Wall at Ridge Farm, Diggle
The main 7′ Shelter Wall at Burnedge Bent was rebuilt in a blizzard.
Complete rebuild of Field Opening on Long Lane, Dobcross
SPECIAL FRIENDS
We make many friends walling and few people pass us by on Larkhill Road in Dobcross without passing the time of day. In fair weather and foul Bill Leonard is one of our most regular visitors as he walks his son’s two dogs. Sadly they both died recently but he still gets out for his constitutional and stops for a chat. He is a lovely, courteous man – a gentleman and a pleasure to chat with. He is one of our special friends.
Of course ‘throughs’ have a particular significance to wallers but we placed one for an entirely different purpose at a strategic point on Bill’s route. He was 100 years old in September (2018) and we hope he will enjoy the through for many years to come.
CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL THE BEST BILL FROM EVERYONE IN THE LANCASHIRE BRANCH DSWA
Realigning and rebuilding of derelict wall at New Paddock overlooking Delph
Flagging repair at St Chad’s Church after thieves removed flags from churchyard
Derelict Field Wall rebuilt at Old Barn
Part of more than 250m of new wall built along Larkhill Road, Dobcross
Ruined wall at Ridge Farm rebuilt on one of our two-day training courses
RUINED WALL EXTENDED AND REALIGNED AT ROUNDHILL FARM
TOTAL REBUILD OF UPPER SECTION ALONG LARKHILL NEEDED A LOT OF PREPARATION
CURVED, ASCENDING RETAINING WALL AT FARM ENTRANCE OFF DIGGLE OLD ROAD
GAPPING ALONG RUNNING HILL LANE
REETH in SWALEDALE – September 2019
In response to an appeal from our patron HRH The Prince of Wales, three of our members travelled up to Reeth to help rebuild walls washed away by recent floods.
Welcome to ReethPaul, Lee and Richard by their 8m stint of new wall – at the end of a long day with a 100 mile drive home to come…..no toppers left anyhow. You did us proud – well done!!
REETH WALLATHON October 19th&20th 2019
In order to help the local communities in Swaledale whose homes and walls had been wrecked by the floods in July, the DSWA organised a wallathon. Over 100 wallers from all over the country made their way to Reeth to help with the work, nine of them from the Lancashire Branch. The hospitality and welcome from the local community was massive and the camaraderie among the wallers was palpable.
Over the weekend 230m of wall was rebuilt…warm glow isn’t in it. And here’s the thing…we had a great time with a lot of laughs, great conversations and fine dining!
But the job isn’t finished and we will be back.
The branch at ReethThe long straight which was on the ground on Saturday morning was all rebuilt by Sunday afternoon thanks to wallers from Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cheshire, Caithness and LANCASHIRE.Chris working with Ray Stockall, our national chairmanNot much stone left after the wall had been rebuilt – Paul Brown, the farmer, kept stone coming throughout the weekend.Branch members worked in different locations as required to get the work done……some of it was awkward. Lee and Bev set about an obtuse corner.Richard and Akida thoroughly enjoyed working with new walling companions from other branches.It was good to see Akida – he doesn’t get down to Saddleworth that often.At 9 o’clock on Saturday morning this wall didn’t exist.
THE BRANCH AT THE ROYAL LANCASHIRE SHOW 2019
THE ‘WALL’ ARRIVED IN BAGSCARL SOON HAD HELP TO GET IT INTO SHAPETHERE WAS A WALL IN THOSE BAGSGREAT TEAMS FOR ALL THREE DAYS – THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO COULD MAKE IT TO RIBCHESTER AND ESPECIALLY TO PAUL WHO PULLED IT ALL TOGETHERIT WAS PAUL’S SUGGESTION TO ADJOURN TO THE HUGE BEER TENTNEIL WALLING HIMSELF IN
ROYAL LANCASHIRE SHOW
2021
PRACTICE MEET AT BURNEDGE BENT
Bryan drops by to keep an eye on usRaf realises that he has built his car keys into the wall.
BRANCH RETAINING WALL PROJECT AT WHITWORTH – JULY 2018
From this………..THE PROBLEM
The Problem
To this…….THE SOLUTION
PRACTICE MEETS 20I9
RIDGE FARM – JANUARY
CURVED ASCENDING ENTRANCE OFF DIGGLE OLD ROADSTUCK! IT WAS VERY MUDDY
ROUNDHILL FARM – FEBRUARY
NEW WALL WITH OPENING TO GIVE EASIER ACCESS TO FIELD
Paul getting to grips with cheek ends.Neil attending to the cheek end while Bev tries not to get too bogged down.Job done
BURNEDGE BENT FARM – MARCH
BIG GAPPING IN ALL SEASONS
A bit of ‘moor grime’ when we got to the site.They said it would clear up later….The branch conduct a finger tip search to find the old foundation.Shaping slimy stone and clearing weatherLinda’s cleaning bill?……she was like that when she got here!!NO SHE WASN’T!
RIDGE FARM, DIGGLE – APRIL
The opening begins to take shapeWork commences on the retaining wall along Ridge Lane
PRACTICE MEETS 2018
March at Larkhill – warm with lapwings and the odd skylark, is this Spring.
Last week this site was covered in snow and inaccessible.
Spring at last?…it’s not all graft.GardeningFOUNDATIONSTOPPERSBUT It can be wet…….and muddy
PRACTICE MEETS 2017
First meet of 2017 at Larkhill Road, Dobcross
Lousy day but everyone wanted to be therespot the umbrellaThe Big Curve – a full 13′ arc to enable the cutters to negotiate the corner in the adjacent meadow.
February/March 2017 – new wall commenced at Ridge Farm
Bitterly cold day in Saddleworth – Gill keeping warm. When the snow started and numbed everybody’s hands we adjourned to Woolyknits.Same view a few weeks later – Spring at last – Line of the new wall….early stages with Ben’s bee bole
August – The new wall starts to take shape.
With Herbert to keep us company we got on well.Job Finished – November 2017
BUT……
SUMMER SOCIALS
……… sometimes we do no walling at all and go for a strollNear some stone of course in the Ogden Valley en-route to The Ram’s Head for lunch – August 2018
2019 – stroll over Broadstone Hill to ‘The Cotton Famine Road’2019 – Sippers at The Church Inn
SADDLEWORTH SHOW
2012
2012 A Pile of stone – Carl and Adam getting things sorted out – the wall is in there somewhere!2012 Foundations2012 – our old friend Ken helps to produces a wall from the heap – MAGIC!
2013
2013 Another pile of stone – Chris and Adam embarking on the art of the possible.2013 Adam ‘running hot’.all hands on deck2013 curve is taking shape2013 Home straight – running out of stone2013 visitors2013 visitors to help even
2019
The wall to be rebuiltVal telling a whopper.Concentrating….while Paul was shocked by the quality of the stone.GREAT TEAMAll done……….…….new wallLESSON:- get the awkward ones in the bottom.
PINNACLE AWARD 2015 – ‘THE HIVE’
Our professional member Adam Clarke and Lydia Noble from Yorkshire were given the award for their sensational piece of work which they also designed – many congratulations to both.
MISCELLANEOUS …….to whet the appetite………
Hermit Cells on Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry, Southern Ireland…….if you have the time and a lot of round stonesAdam with Tess and his niche – clever!River boulders and slate used to maximum effect in Great LangdaleEden Valley SandstoneScottish Highlands – Granite DykeBee Boles in Skiddaw SlateSouth WalesRiver Cobbles and SlateAdam, our walling ambassador, with our patron and future kingmagnificent retaining wall built by our president Carl Watson adjacent to Delph ChapelGalarus Oratory – Dingle Peninsula S W Ireland -How did they do that!
