|
 There was some rain, and some hail, but at least we got this rainbow
|
 Some dramatic lighting at the end of the day
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 The 'elbow' in the revetment
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 marsh whorl snail, Vertigo antivertigo (marginally larger than a poppy seed)
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| 8 More... |
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| 1 More... |
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 The new OCV mini bus
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| 10 More... |
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| 5 More... |
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| 26 More... |
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| 13 More... |
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 Fen Anagallis tenell
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 Marsh helleborine
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 Fen flora
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| 6 More... |
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| 4 More... |
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| 12 More... |
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| 24 More... |
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 Duck decoy dog
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| 1 More... |
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| 12 More... |
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| 13 More... |
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 Journeys start
|
 Starting the walk up a hill
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 A well-worn path
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| 6 More... |
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 Morning walk
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 River view
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| 14 More... |
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 Dew pond requiring attention
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 Dew pond inspection
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 Digging a dew pond
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| 15 More... |
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| 16 More... |
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 The Ditch Pitching Gang
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 A beautifully pitched ditch
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| 24 More... |
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 Fence destroyers take the old fence down
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 First straining post hole is ready
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 Attaching the wire
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| 2 More... |
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 Sheep with lambs
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 Flock of sheep ready for foot trimming
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 Rounding up the sheep
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| 3 More... |
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 Getting started on day 2
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 Smoothing the edges
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 Tim ponders
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| 8 More... |
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 Hill End Totem Pole
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 Marking out for the new boardwalk
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 Sawing up the planks to the correct length
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| 12 More... |
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 Marking out the steps
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 Sacrilege - I don't hold with these new fangled tea-making devices!
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| 6 More... |
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 Fen edge after willow pollarding
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 Tea break
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 Frog spawn in the pond
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| 18 More... |
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 Magpie
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 One of the rides
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 Volunteers at work early in the day
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 Coppice woodland
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| 2 More... |
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| 4 More... |
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| 5 More... |
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 Where to put the mulch?
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 Collecting the mulch for the saplings
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 Helping some saplings along
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| 8 More... |
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 Overgrown scrub alongside the pallisade fence at the start of the day
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| 2 More... |
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 The new Triple-S kettle in action
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| 1 More... |
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 Breakfast
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 Westonbirt in the morning
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 Yesterday's fire
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| 5 More... |
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 To the Silk Wood...
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| 23 More... |
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 Getting started
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 Watching a demo from Tim
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 Hedgelaying demonstration
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| 4 More... |
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 A well-stobbed willow
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 Boardwalk anti-slip netting neatly patched
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 Wet volunteers
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 Getting out the bramble roots
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| 4 More... |
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 Slightly damp BBQ
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| 2 More... |
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 A tidy coppice stool
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 Fire
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 Coppicers at work
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| 4 More... |
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| 2 More... |
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 Clearing the area
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 Starting to dig
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| 7 More... |
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 Fen raking - it's a drag!
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| 2 More... |
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| 7 More... |
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 Bench 1
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 Bench 2
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 First you have to dismantle the wall
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| 6 More... |
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| 12 More... |
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 Inigo pretending to fall in - we're not falling for it!
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 Pippa enjoys some of the picnic
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| 4 More... |
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 Post tea-break petulance
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| 6 More... |
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 Before - overgrown Red Kite viewing area
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 Steve in action
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| 16 More... |
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 Digging up brambles is fun!
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| 4 More... |
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 Waiting for the work to begin
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 The poles mark the planned course of the diverted stream
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| 12 More... |
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 Unpacking the tools
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 Paul shows off Aston Rowant
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 Fixing a gate
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| 5 More... |
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| 20 More... |
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 Everyone hard at work
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 Making sure the post is perfectly straight
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 Attaching the wire
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| 11 More... |
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| 5 More... |
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 Admiring the moor fire-fighting equipment
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| 13 More... |
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 Pegs... they're like mushrooms!
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| 15 More... |
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 The OCV tea faerie tests his latest brew
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 Pipe-edging the duck decoy, now used to collect wildfowl to be ringed.
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 Putting in the posts
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| 18 More... |
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 Tea break
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| 1 More... |
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| 11 More... |
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 Preparing the ground for the steps
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 Step creation in progress
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 Good progress
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| 8 More... |
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| 15 More... |
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 Preparing a hole for junipers
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 Juniper on chalk grassland
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 Completed hole containing cage for Juniper seedlings
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| 8 More... |
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 Sheep hunting
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 Found them!
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 Sheep foot trimmers at work
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| 1 More... |
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 Finishing off the bonfire
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 Bonfire in an Iron Age defensive ditch
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 Willows to coppice
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 A novel way to transport brush wood
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 Time for tea break
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 The beginnings of the bonfire
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 The bonfire is growing
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| 9 More... |
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 Climbing Mount Fog
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 At the summit
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| 6 More... |
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 Tea break
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 Where is jo?
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| 10 More... |
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 Lunch time
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 Lunch time
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 Scrub clearance
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 Firewood from coppicing
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 The clearing after our coppicing
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 "Jew's Ear" mushrooms
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| 3 More... |
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 Preparing hedgelaying binders
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 Building a cordwood stack
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| 11 More... |
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| 23 More... |
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| 1 More... |
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 View from the Folly
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 The new tool shed?
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| 3 More... |
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 After siding-up
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 One down....
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| 2 More... |
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 Nathalie demonstrating the art of rake leaning like a true OCV veteran
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| 8 More... |
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 Rise and shine (the sun, that is.... not an OCVer in sight)
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 Ready for work. Now where did those tools go?
|
 Finishing the gate and dead-hedge
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|
 The pine candle was more popular than the camp fire!
|
 Chilli cooking on the fire
|
 Happy moonlit campers
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| 5 More... |
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 Well earned lunch break
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 All members as welcome, Pippa included
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| 1 More... |
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 We don't just build walls, we also build the ancient treasures of Egypt
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|
 Sand drawing - which species of tree is this?
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| 4 More... |
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 Miranda digging a posthole
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 Looking down the fenceline to the sea
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 Checking the straightness of the post
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| 7 More... |
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 The obligatory 'before' photo
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 Susan contemplates the task ahead
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 Where do we start?
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| 5 More... |
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 The Tackley Heath Pond
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 Starting work
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 Tea time
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| 5 More... |
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 The duck decoy
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 A duck's eye view of the decoy
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 Pollarding
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| 7 More... |
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 Putting in uprights for new platform
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 Newly extended ponds ready for the wildlife to move in
|
 Pond creation
|
 Hard at work
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|
 OCV crack team of pond diggers, not put off by the scorching heat
|
 Starting to extend the main pond, and create smaller ponds
|
 Training from an expert
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|
 Sheep pedicures
|
 The queue for free pedicures grows as word gets out
|
 Select your sheep
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| 2 More... |
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 Entrance to the wood
|
 Carrying the tubes that have been removed
|
 It was a very sunny day
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| 8 More... |
|
 How many OCVers does it take to build a stile?
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 Completed stile
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| 1 More... |
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 Volunteers keen to start
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 The master class - see how easy it is...
|
 The reason this is important
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| 3 More... |
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 Starting a post hole
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 Post-bashing
|
 Finishing off
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 Teamwork: Attaching the wire netting.
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 Finished boardwalk
|
 Group photo
|
| 17 More... |
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 Sgwd-yr-Eira waterfall
|
 Steep scramble on our walk
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| 3 More... |
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 Completed stone pitched culvert
|
 Completed culvert
|
 Playing pass the pigs at the NT base camp
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| 11 More... |
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 Barbeque time
|
 Chopping firewood at the basecamp
|
 Clearing rubble from the path ready for new scalpings
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| 14 More... |
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 Some of the rubbish we collected
|
 Habitat pile
|
 A fine bonfire
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| 2 More... |
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 Attacking the collapsed willows
|
 Base camp
|
 A bit of overstaffing?
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| 9 More... |
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 Cutting back the smaller dogwood
|
 Warming bonfire
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| 1 More... |
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 At work on the quarry site
|
 Michael hard at work at the fire site
|
 Embers of the fire
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| 7 More... |
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 The gang
|
 Mutual support?
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| 2 More... |
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 The state of affairs at the start of the day...
|
 Beginning of the day as we started work
|
 Roger, our warden for the task
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| 9 More... |
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 Catherine from the Friends of the Trap Grounds
|
 Tidying up the tools at the end of the day
|
 Humph... not sure what this is?!?
|
| 10 More... |
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 Craig, our expert fire builder!
|
 Our new OCV tree!
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| 1 More... |
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|
 Putting the finishing touches to the hedge
|
 Completed section of hedge
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 Lunch time
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| 8 More... |
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 Jim's amazing dogs!
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| 6 More... |
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 Multi-coloured sparklers
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 Lunch time leaf-gazing
|
 The weather was glorious
|
 We didn't cut these ones down
|
| 11 More... |
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 Starting work
|
 Cutting back the undergrowth to make way for fritillaries
|
 Habitat pile made from wood moved off the flood plain
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| 3 More... |
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 The completed fence
|
 Packing up behind the completed fence
|
 Happy volunteers
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| 2 More... |
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 Before our work
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 Gentian
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 Tea break
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| 1 More... |
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 Ripping out the old fence netting
|
 Chris and Jo preparing to strain wire
|
 Monkey strainers in all their glory
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| 2 More... |
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 Swanage Bay
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| 1 More... |
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| 5 More... |
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 Naomi in front of the wall before we started work
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 The essentials in life: tea and biscuits!
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| 17 More... |
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 New post positioned by string line
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 Pro-fencing team work on new straining post!
|
 Straining post complete, ready for wire.
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|
 Getting started
|
 Fighting their way through the grass
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| 5 More... |
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 Spot the ragwort
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| 2 More... |
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 Starting to build the chestnut fence
|
 Errected chestnut fence
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 Chiselled chestnut fence joint
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| 3 More... |
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 Dismantling the old fence
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|
 English Stonecrop (close-up!)
|
 Foxglove
|
 Sheep's-Bit
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| 3 More... |
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 Devil's-bit Scabious
|
 Pyramidal Orchid
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| 2 More... |
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 Before work on the steps
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 After work on the steps, with a new bit of rivetment
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| 10 More... |
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 Line-wire straining the posts; stock netting laid out and ready to staple up and complete the barrier
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| 6 More... |
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 Delapidated fence? Who you gonna call...?
|
 Dismantling the old fence
|
 Birds-Foot Trefoil - an 'indicator' species of unimproved chalk grassland
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| 13 More... |
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| 2 More... |
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 Sgwd yr Eira - A very fine waterfall and a good spot for lunch
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 Dan Y Gyrn Base Camp - Official Photo!
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 View from behind Sgwd-yr-Eira falls.
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| 9 More... |
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 At the Storey Arms after a day's culvert clearing
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 Path down from Corn Du
|
 Culvert cleared of debris, with outflow channel extended toward edge.
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| 9 More... |
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 Resting atop Pen-Y-Fan, highest point in the Brecon Beacons
|
 Digging new drainage ditches along footpath
|
 National Trust warden spreading grass seed in the new ditches
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| 22 More... |
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 Fence and gate construction
|
 You don't wanna do it like that...
|
 The finished fence, gate and stile from the outside
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| 2 More... |
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 On a clear day, the view is spectacular...
|
 Andy provides a cheesy grin
|
 Clearing the fenceline ready for replacement fencing
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| 2 More... |
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 Michelle sneaks up behind Peter with loppers - fancy a haircut Peter?
|
 All the old headstones are leaning at interesting angles
|
 Bonfire - plus rainbow!
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|
 Swarms of scrub bashers
|
 Lunch break
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|
 Andy makes cordwood
|
 Chris stacks logs to form a habitat pile
|
 Much tree growth had been cut back to stop the forest taking over the ancient pathway
|
| 2 More... |
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| 2 More... |
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 The morning cuppa....
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| 6 More... |
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 Bonfire "A" by the stream
|
 Two-woman bow-saw
|
 Bonfire "B" was even bigger
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| 14 More... |
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 Admiring the bonfire
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 Loading the bonfire
|
 After a hard days work
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| 8 More... |
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 Brambles and ivy cleared from the headstones needed to be burnt
|
 The bonfire raged...
|
 Volunteers survey their handiwork as the bonfire dies down
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| 2 More... |
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 Mike makes a guest appearance
|
 Conversation and drinks in the Turf
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 Hazel stakes harvested for hedgelaying
|
 Cordwood stack
|
 Dead-hedge deer-deterrant
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|
 This poor tree didn't stand a chance...
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| |
|
 Local flock penned for hoof clipping
|
 A woolly captive
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 2 folk and a sheep
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| 2 More... |
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 Surveying the days work, the last task of 2007.
|
 A nice cup of tea.
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|
 Looks like someone decided to recycle an old 70's shower curtain.
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| |
|
 Before starting work, we herded the sheep into a different field
|
 A fine specimen
|
 This treestump was in a dangerous position and needed to be removed using some OCV muscle
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 Britwell Salome hedge starting view
|
 Cutting to the cores
|
 Jamie demonstrates pleaching technique
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| 1 More... |
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| 6 More... |
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 Bonfire building
|
 Coppicing
|
 Tree with twisty vine growing into it
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 Fen raking in the sunshine
|
 Teamwork
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 Hook Norton Cutting Crew
|
 Clearing the slope for wildflowers
|
 Local help
|
| 7 More... |
|
 Beating those Brambles
|
 Young woodland of the new century
|
 Hedgelaying work half complete
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|
 Camp
|
 Camp
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 Camp fire
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|
 Making the Tea
|
 Down the wall
|
 Job Done
|
| 6 More... |
|
 Site when we arrived
|
 Walling
|
 Walling at Durlston
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| 4 More... |
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 Footpath section as we found it.
|
 New talent on the job
|
 A swinging time
|
| 3 More... |
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 Old fence as we found it.
|
 Post and rail under construction.
|
 Hybrid fence, as we left it.
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| 2 More... |
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 First post
|
 Boundary Brook bird feeder
|
 Boundary Brook pond
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| 2 More... |
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 Broadening the path
|
 Path to Church Hanborough
|
 Jim carrying a spade incorrectly!
|
| 1 More... |
|
 Out for a walk on our free day
|
 Climbing up the Craig Cerrig - it was actually sunny (for a while)
|
 We had great views on our free day.
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|
 Second work site
|
 What a jovial bunch of people
|
 OCV and the National Trust show their undying loyalty to Queen & Country
|
| 5 More... |
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 Rob, the National Trust warden
|
 Base camp
|
 The badger, of course
|
| 3 More... |
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 Westward view
|
 Cowslips & Forget-me-nots
|
 North path before
|
| 1 More... |
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 Fencing with locally-cut material
|
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 Teamwork on the bowsaw
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| 2 More... |
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 Crecy Nature Reserve path
|
 Crecy footpath at the point of completion
|
 Crecy reserve from the top
|
| 1 More... |
|
|
 How many OCVers does it take to build a stile?
|
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|
 Is that Jamie behind those twigs? No point in hiding from us. We will ALWAYS find you.
|
 All we need is a guitar
|
 Logs!
|
| 2 More... |
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| 3 More... |
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 An example Cotswold Pennycress (by Plantlife's consultant Judy Hart)
|
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 A vision of a fence. Top dollar.
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| 13 More... |
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|
 Hello, my name is Shaun. Baaaaaaa!
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| 11 More... |
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|
 Sheep graze the coarse grass, leaving the dreaded blackthorn for OCV!
|
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| 3 More... |
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| 4 More... |
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 Devil's-bit Scabious seed on the MOD Otmoor rifle range
|
| |
|
 Collecting the sheep for tagging them
|
 Cathy and a sheep
|
 Building fencing in the car park
|
| 8 More... |
|
 Before we started
|
 On 6 TV
|
 The finished hedge
|
| 6 More... |
|
 The finished product.
|
 Before the gate went in.
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 Sitting down for lunch
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 The view towards Oxford
|
|
 Jamie digs a hole
|
 Tamping in the support post
|
|
| 20 More... |
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| 7 More... |
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| 23 More... |
|
 The Path before we started
|
 The fire gets going
|
 Another photo of the fire - were we obsessed?!
|
| 17 More... |
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|
 Controlling the reed growth to create some open water
|
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| 11 More... |
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| 1 More... |
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| 1 More... |
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| 1 More... |
|
 Domino
|
 Harry the horse
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| 5 More... |
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| 5 More... |
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