Branch Projects

WE INTEND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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 Reeth
Paul, 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 Reeth
The 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 chairman
Not 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 BAGS
CARL SOON HAD HELP TO GET IT INTO SHAPE
THERE WAS A WALL IN THOSE BAGS
GREAT TEAMS FOR ALL THREE DAYS – THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO COULD MAKE IT TO RIBCHESTER AND ESPECIALLY TO PAUL WHO PULLED IT ALL TOGETHER
IT WAS PAUL’S SUGGESTION TO ADJOURN TO THE HUGE BEER TENT
NEIL WALLING HIMSELF IN

ROYAL LANCASHIRE SHOW

2021

PRACTICE MEET AT BURNEDGE BENT

Bryan drops by to keep an eye on us
Bryan drops by to keep an eye on us
Raf realises that he has built his car keys into the wall.
Raf 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 ROAD
STUCK! 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 weather
Linda’s cleaning bill?……she was like that when she got here!!
NO SHE WASN’T!

RIDGE FARM, DIGGLE – APRIL

The opening begins to take shape
Work 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.
Gardening
FOUNDATIONS
TOPPERS
BUT        It can be wet…
….and muddy

PRACTICE MEETS 2017

First meet of 2017 at Larkhill Road, Dobcross

larkhill-jan-2017-1
Lousy day but everyone wanted to be there
larkhill-jan-2017-2
spot the umbrella
larkhill-jan-2017-4
The 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

and sometimes we do no walling at all and go for a stroll
……… sometimes we do no walling at all and go for a stroll
Near 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
2012 A Pile of stone – Carl and Adam getting things sorted out – the wall is in there somewhere!
2012 Foundations
2012 Foundations
2012 A wall - MAGIC!
2012 – our old friend Ken helps to produces a wall from the heap – MAGIC!

2013

2013 Another pile of stone
2013 Another pile of stone – Chris and Adam embarking on the art of the possible.
2013 Adam 'running hot'.
2013  Adam ‘running hot’.
all hands on deck
all hands on deck
2013 curve is taking shape
2013 curve is taking shape
2013 Home straight
2013 Home straight – running out of stone
2013 visitors
2013 visitors
2013 visitors to help even
2013 visitors to help even

2019

The wall to be rebuilt
Val telling a whopper.
Concentrating
….while Paul was shocked by the quality of the stone.
GREAT TEAM
All done……….
…….new wall
LESSON:- 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.

43 The Round House (1)
43 The Round House (2)
43 The Round House (3)
43 The Round House (10)
43 The Round House (4)
43 The Round House (9)

MISCELLANEOUS
…….to whet the appetite………

Hermit Cells on Skellig Michael of the coast of Kerry
Hermit Cells on Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry, Southern Ireland
.......if you have the time and a lot of round stones
…….if you have the time and a lot of round stones
Adam with Tess and his niche - clever!
Adam with Tess and his niche – clever!
River boulders and slate used to maximum effect in Great Langdale
River boulders and slate used to maximum effect in Great Langdale
Eden Valley Sandstone
Eden Valley Sandstone
Scottish Highlands - Granite Dyke
Scottish Highlands – Granite Dyke
Bee Boles in Skiddaw Slate
Bee Boles in Skiddaw Slate
South Wales
South Wales
River Cobbles and Slate
River Cobbles and Slate
Adam, our walling ambassador, with our patron and future king
Adam, our walling ambassador, with our patron and future king
magnificent retaining wall built by our president Carl Watson adjacent to Delph Chapel
Gallorus Oratory - Dingle Penninsula S W Ireland
Galarus Oratory – Dingle Peninsula S W Ireland -How did they do that!