"A map? No I don't have a map"

I have always loved maps. In primary school I used to draw imaginary islands, with contour lines and inlets. My father taught me to use a road atlas as my mother couldn't. I always have an OS map with me when I am walking. The drawback of walking in other countries is their lack of the detail and accuracy in our OS maps.

So the comment above that I often get when I am doing a voluntary ranger patrol for the North York Moors National Park, www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/, never ceases to amaze me. Some people do have a print out from a website or a piece from their local paper, some of which are quite detailed. However last Saturday I met two walkers who had a piece of A5 paper which showed the whole coastal stretch of the Cleveland Way, each mile squashed into a few millimetres.

This might be adequate in the summer and in dry, sunny weather; but as the evenings draw in and the weather deteriorates it could be dangerous. Last winter I met a couple who were going to walk on to a village with no bus service and who then wanted an alternative route back to their car with no map to help them find one!

There are many debates about how much signing the Park should provide for people who come out without a map. I am beginning to think that we should provide more. If we are going to encourage people to walk more, for their health and because the National Parks are there for all of us, then maybe there should be more practical help to do so. The Park puts on guided walks, publishes leaflets, so maybe some more directional signing in the more popular areas would be a logical extension to what is already being done.

Enough of all this theorising and back to what my small society has been doing over the last two weeks! Well, short stop lassn.org.uk, has been very quiet, no one last week and just one, a very young woman from Syria, this week. However with hosts on holiday it took me several phone calls to place her safely off the streets.

the view from our BBQ

Coasties has continued building steps and then this week in the alum works catching up with clearing some of the old industrial works of months of nettles and other weeds. However the best of all was our annual BBQ, held as usual in Ravenscar, site of so many of our tasks. Excellent food and company as ever, culminating in badger watching and then, very late, a bat walk.

a new house and some new steps, all in the summer sun

My friend in Leeds, who now has leave to remain, or as she and other people in the same position call it, 'status', has now moved from her temporary accommodation into her 'forever' house. It was a  very hot day when I and a kind volunteer with a small old van loaded up her stuff and moved it across the city. She is going to be renting a house in a refurbished area of Leeds, where once joy riders raced there are now road narrows and intimidating (to them) metal bollards. Many thanks to LASSN lassn.org.uk/ and Solace www.solace-uk.org.uk two local charities who have given her the strength to carry on her pursuit of safety. Also many individuals who prefer not to be named, if you are reading this you know who you are. A week later she tells me that most of the house has already been re-painted, mostly by her, but some friends have also helped.

all the wood and tools
were carried across
the beach

now walkers know which
way to go.

Then to the new steps, here they are, above Runswick Bay; at first they went no where, but we returned a few weeks later, put in more steps and some direction signs. The first time was quite warm, the second time was very warm, and everything had to be carried from the car park and across the beach. This is the same place where we got caught out by the tide last year (see November 17th). This year we kept our feet dry, although a swim might have been nice.

Partly cleaned up

In between this step building Coasties www.northyorkmoors.org.uk had started to clean up the board walk at Forge Valley. This might seem an unnecessary cosmetic task, but the damp vegetation and blocked drainage will make the boards rot and eventually collapse. So we hoed and swept and made it look better and last much longer.

Saturday I did a Voluntary Ranger patrol. Fortunately there was a lot of cloud cover so walking was much easier than it would have been earlier in the week. I had been asked to patrol the high moors and check that there were no fires. The hot dry weather has put the Moors on high fire risk and there were warning signs in many places. There were no fires and surprisingly few walkers, perhaps the threat of high temperatures had put them off. However I did see these strange fungi.

                               

my foot shows you how
big they were

And now to finish off the photo gallery with some bog cotton, which seems to have liked the long cold spring and is flowering in profusion across the Moors.

Each Tuesday I have been placing people in Short Stop, the urgency seems less in the hot dry weather, but what ever the weather the streets are not a good place to spend the night. LASSN the organisers, PAFRAS www.pafras.org.uk the usual referring agency.

 

Off for a few days to a family birthday, back next week.

two old ponds and a Fairtrade stall

Dragging mud and debris out,
the banks will green over
quickly

Last month I reported on a day in the cold and the wet fencing off a series of new ponds for the National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.uk/, well last week it was ponds with them again. However this time we were in dappled sunshine in the beautiful woods at Hayburn Wyke and we were continuing the clearance of some long forgotten, probably Victorian ponds. Two ponds, full of mud and tree debris, one below the other, with an overflow from the top one linking to the lower one. As we scrapped out the mud we came across the remains of stone surrounds and even, with some imagination, perhaps the remains of a stone cascade. We cleared ditches (which led springs into the ponds), found tiny little stone bridges and pushed branches under some of the bridges to clear decades of mud and twigs.

Poking around under an old stone bridge

It was wonderful towards the end of the afternoon to see water flowing into the top pond, out and down into the bottom pond and then out again and eventually to the sea. A group from a large local firm had started the work, we did a lot more, but there is still more to be done. We discussed what records there might be of how the woods were originally laid out, but at the moment, sadly, no-one either knows or has the time to find out.

yummy chocolate

At the end of the week I was, fortunately as it rained all day, indoors at Ryedale District Council offices. We had our regular Fairtrade stall, doing a roaring sale in chocolate. We also sold quite a lot of craft items, children's toys being a favourite. In fact one crocodile was so popular that we took orders and will deliver them next week. As usual all the goods from Fairer World in York.www.fairerworldyork.co.uk.

some of the craft items

If you live near York, you can see a much wider range of Fairtrade food and crafts at the shop in Gillygate.

Our local group met earlier in the week and started the discussions on ensuring that we maintain our Fairtrade town status, more of this to come.

my small society has been active, even though the blog has been absent

Well, I have not been away all this time, although I did have one trip away in the middle of my absent four weeks. Excuses? Busy in the garden, with the advent of some warmer weather and longer evenings; for some reason more driving and less on the bus, so catching up with paper work in the evenings instead of blogging, sorry!

So, Coasties www.northyorkmoors.org.uk, has run the gamut of all different sorts of weather, wet and cold, damp and warm and even sunny.

before the fence; it was
even gloomier by the
time we had finished

The wet and cold was at Robin Hoods Bay, working with National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.uk, to fence in some new ponds, made to increase the variety of habitat. The bullocks against whom the fence is designed came to watch, unfortunately it was too damp to take their photos. I and a colleague measured the gaps between posts, others dug them in and strained the wire from post to post. All of us then hammered in the staples holding it all together. Team work in action.

the path disappears in
the undergrowth

The sunny day was in Forge Valley, I had done a voluntary ranger patrol there the week before and had reported overgrown paths and the board walk, as well as fallen trees blocking other paths. So Coasties set to, with slashers, loppers, saws and strimmers and by 3 o'clock even if it wasn't quite finished it was a lot clearer.

a carpet of wild garlic

 I had heard a strange tale when I was doing my ranger patrol, a deer had actually chased a small dog that had presumably got too close to its fawn. The same day I had walked in this lovely woodland, fragrant with the smell of wild garlic.

The warm and damp had seen us near Cayton Bay, doing our regular task of step clearance, although here no repairs were required, just a lot more stone to fill them in.

Yesterday was a voluntary ranger patrol best forgotten, what had been forecast as showers turned into a three hour deluge, enough said. Except that I had not realised which of my waterproofs needed re-proofing, I do now.

Short Stop has been quite difficult over the last few weeks, more guests and fewer hosts, holidays and people moving have reduced their availability. However, I have been able to place all the people referred to me, even though one day I was on the phone for several hours before everyone was found a bed for the night. It was a worry, especially as rain was forecast that night and several of the guests had spent the previous night on the streets. I tell myself that we have all done what we can and not to let it get on top of me, but that day it nearly did.

I have been to Leeds once to see my friend, we walked, on the hottest day of this year so far, around Leeds East End looking from the outside at houses that she can 'bid' for. Each Friday she puts her 'bid' in and then may have to wait for a couple for weeks to see if she has been successful, however she still needs to go on 'bidding' in case she hasn't.

One of the village schools near by has had a Fairtrade food and craft stall at a parents' event; they were delighted with the range of pocket money small craft items. Many people think that Fairtrade is only about food, certainly not, at Fairer World in York, www.fairerworldyork.co.uk, you can buy craft items ranging from 50p to £40, jewellery, toys, wooden items and crockery amongst many other things.

So there you have it, a quick round up of the last four weeks, much of it is the usual stuff, but never enough the same for me to get bored.

One curious thing to leave you with, one day a week or so ago there were 100 views from Latvia, why?

We now know that intelligence agencies will be logging this, so here is one last photo.

I didn't make this up, or photo shop it, it exists

Low numbers every where until today

Since I last blogged all my activities have seemed to result in low numbers, until today when Short Stop lassn.org.uk/‎almost overwhelmed me.

The week had started badly when our attempt to do our bit for the BTO survey www.bto.org/ failed, as the fog on Fylingdales Moor was so thick we could barely see to put one foot in front of another. Short Stop last Tuesday was all done and dusted in an hour, three people needing a room for the night and two hosts found in ten minutes and two phone calls.

Coasties found us short of people. Only four of us, and the Cleveland Way ranger www.nationaltrail.co.uk/clevelandway, to repair a long flight of steps

just a few of the steps

leading out of Robin Hood's Bay. To make it harder everything had to be taken down to the bottom in a quad bike, no room for the van and trailer, so that meant several trips.
The steps were uneven and the wooden boards rotting, so that meant realigning as well as new boards. As I have posted before steps are not my forte, but there was no choice. I dug out the old boards, 'lost' them in hidden greenery where they will rot totally and helped to put new boards in. Absent colleagues were badly missed, next time we hope they will be there! However we had a choice of benches for lunch and a sheltered place to sit.

Thursday we did the bird survey, but it was a freezing morning with a gale blowing. Before factoring in the wind chill it was only 5 degrees. No insects, so no sensible bird would have ventured out of a sheltered roosting place. We heard a sky lark six times, was it the same one? In the blustery rain we will never know.

a peaceful spot below Crosscliff

Monday I was at Saltergate helping with the Mobile Display Unit,  www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/‎  There were several Voluntary Rangers and not a lot of customers, so after lunch I went for a walk along the Old Wives Way. It was lovely and peaceful and I sat for a while enjoying the quiet away from the roar of the traffic (especially the speeding bikers) on the main road.

easy to be a ram

Later I came across this ram, dozing in the long grass. His job had been done in just a few minutes some months ago, now he could rest. At the other end of the field the ewes were busy, busy, busy. Their lambs were either demanding food or trying to escape through small gaps in the fence. I knew how they felt, my grandsons spend much of their time in the park trying to escape from sight.

To my surprise I met no other walkers or cyclists, usually this is a popular cycle route into the Dalby Forest. Our car parking charges are a lot less than the toll to drive into the Forest.

I passed the ancient Malo Cross, homepage.ntlworld.com/don.burluraux/crosses_malo.htm.Then climbed back to the car park; along the last section a pair of lapwings were calling and swooping in the wind. A lovely end to a lovely walk, my spirits soared with the birds, fanciful I know, but just occasionally I can indulge.

And so to today and Short Stop again. Five people today, including one man who had slept out all weekend. Several hosts were away as it is half term and others on voicemail only. It was after 3 o'clock that I placed the last person, with a great sense of relief; it may not be so cold now, but rain is forecast for tonight.

A week of contrasts, the wild of the Moors and the very different desolation of a night on the streets of Leeds. But there is a link. If the total waste of money that is the Fylingdale Early Warning Station (warning against what?) were not there the Moors would be more beautiful and imagine what could be done with the money saved.

Mud and Fairtrade, but not together!

early or late for Christmas?

Well I knew it might be a bit muddy on Wednesday at Coasties, www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/, after all it had rained all night, but this was muddy beyond compare. Before the mud though there was a surprise when we got out of the mini bus, had we gone back in time, or rapidly forward? This tree, carefully decorated with glass baubles, in the middle of the forest, are we early or late for Christmas?

For about half an hour we cleared an overgrown bridleway. Then, downing our loppers and saws and collecting a variety of spades and large forks we set off for the mud. For hours we laboured, cutting a ditch and trying to discover the whereabouts of a rumoured drain. This bridleway was so deep in mud that the strongest horse must have had difficulty getting through it. Every so often there was a cry for help as one of us sunk so deep that we needed a hand to be pulled out. Our wellies slurped and sucked as the mud threatened to go over the tops.

a very satisfactory flow
of muddy water

How many people to find a
drain pipe?

On the left, the drain is not a rumour, but is very deep; it will have to wait for another week to be properly connected. On the right the ditch is working and muddy water is draining off the bridleway down the hill.

All three photos of Coasties are courtesy of one of my colleagues, Tristan Eyre, as I forgot my camera.

Tomorrow is the Malton Food Festival and the Malton and Norton Fairtrade group,www.fairtrade.org.uk/ is having a stall in a local church, thank you to St Michael's, stmichaelsmalton.org.uk/. We have tried a new form of publicity this year with a display in House Martins window, www.nurserycommunity.com/directory/house-martins-day-care-centre, thank you House Martins.

Only chocolate wrappers, not the real thing, on display, this window can get very sunny. I will be missing the selling, but I have done my bit transporting the goods to Malton, team work in our small society.     

As usual all our supplies are from Fairer World in York, www.fairerworldyork.co.uk.

Back to my small society on Monday for the annual bird survey on Fylingdales Moor watch out for results next week.

what must they all make of it?

I am referring to my readers from other countries, what does this volunteering mean to them? In the last month there have been readers from Malaysia and Indonesia in the far east, France and Canada, ( who I think are friends of mine, loyally doing their bit for an old friend) and a large number from Russia, Romania and the United States. A few months ago, after the UK, Latvia topped the list! Some of these countries do have a history of volunteering, I am fairly sure that others don't. So, tell me, what do you all make of it?

Over the last fortnight I have been outdoors in the sunshine (now gone again) and indoors on the phone and a lovely Fairtrade meal in York.

Coasties, www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/ were doing work on a bridleway near Harwood Dale, it was perfect; sunny, but not too hot, quiet except for a very noisy chiffchaff and as usual a sense of a job well done at the end of the afternoon. As we ate lunch I looked up at the trees and the blue sky and realised how lucky I am. I have travelled thousands of miles for a scene like this and here it is on my doorstep (well nearly).

As usual these days Short Stop lassn.org.uk, goes smoothly. Two referrals, one from Iran the other from Pakistan the first week and just one, another man from Iran, the second week. I email some suggestions round to my colleagues about tweaking the system to make it even better. For example we need to know which hosts are perhaps being over used? I know I tended to start at the beginning of my list, now each week I try to phone different people first. Providers in the small society need a break like everyone else. As usual I have chat with some of the hosts, and then realise that I am using up the 'free' minutes on my phone and it is only the beginning of my phone month.

I was at Farndale for the daffodil information unit on Bank Holiday Monday, it was so warm we were all in just our regulation polo shirts, a first this year for me. I have to tell a lovely family picnicking amongst the flowers that really they are trespassing on the private land in the field next to the path. Most visitors think that National Parks are like parks in towns and that the land is in common ownership. Alas this is not so, the path is a public right of way, but almost all the land is in private ownership and so should not be picnicked on. There is Open Access land that we can all walk over and a quick picnic there is OK, but these fields are not in that category. They are very apologetic and offer to go immediately, but stay and finish your lunch I tell them.

We have also been recipients of other volunteers' activities this month. A fascinating evening walk organised by the Leeds Civic Trust, www.leedscivictrust.org.uk, around what remains of medieval Leeds, more than you would have imagined, if you include current street layouts. Then another history walk, this time round Appleton in the Moors, a planned Abbey village again from the Middle Ages. Led on this occasion by one of my North York Moors volunteer colleagues. Both walks which might sound a little dry were far from it; enlivened by the enthusiasm of the volunteer walk leaders. Tales of good and bad deeds and in Leeds a form of medieval tax evasion, nothing changes! As I said to a passer by, the modern Starbucks.

Then last night an evening of singing, drumming and eating to celebrate World Fair Trade day, organised by York Fair Trade Forum, www.fairtradeyorkshire.org.uk . As you can see from the empty Fair Trade wine bottles a good time was had by all, my small society is fun as well as good for the soul. Yes we did go on the train!

My friend in Leeds is still in her temporary accommodation. She has once again had to clean up a place that was deemed fit for her and her baby by the housing providers, but not by her. I thought the cooker was new, but no it was now shiny and white, where it had been grimy and blackened. Elbow grease, rather than cooking grease.

So, if you my overseas visitors to this blog need an explanation, please leave a comment and I will do what I can to explain the vagaries of the British volunteering scene.