Photo Blog Week 33 - Wed 05 August 2014
This week's post is a departure from my normal Photo Blog format and content. Instead of my usual 'Patrolling Ranger' role I was helping out with preparation for an event that the Lyme Park Rangers and Drystone Wallers are putting on in St Anne's Square, Manchester at the weekend with demonstrations of walling and 'Have a Go' sessions for children.
An 08:00 Start today! Then off to the NT Longshaw Estate near Sheffield to collect stone for the children returning via Eyres' Farm Shop for walling line, gate parts and nails.
It is always interesting and educating to spend time with the Ranger team and a return trip to Sheffield with Gary followed by eating my lunch in the Rangers' office hearing their discussions has once again added to my knowledge of the Park and its flora and fauna. The toxic Common Ragwort I have written about at the bottom of this post is one of today's lessons.
Holiday Time:
Delta-Ged is sailing off into the wild blue yonder for 2 weeks. My next Wednesday Office is expected to be 27th August.route: The Stables; The Kennels; Disley; Chapel en le Frith; Castleton; Hathersage; Longshaw Estate
Red Deer Stags near the drive exiting The Kennels
The Stags were grouped Cage Hill. A large group of Hinds and Calves were 100m up the drive just inside the Deer Sanctuary.
Trailer attached and heading off to Longshaw
Red Deer sanctuary with Kinder behind right.
The Hinds can be seen as breaks on the grass skyline against the shadow of the kinder plateau.
Longshaw Estate, near Sheffield
The Longshaw Estate and the Eastern Moors of the Peak District are well worth a visit.
Find out more at NT Longshaw and Eastern Moors
Originally a Shooting Lodge, the Longshaw grounds include an active cottage garden.
This amazing Plunge Pool is buried in the trees behind the garden
It no longer holds water. The stone of the walls shows that it was clearly a landscaped area at one time.
route: Longshaw Estate; Hathersage; Castleton; Chapel en le Frith; Lyme Park; The Stables.
Heather Moors
Something that Lyme doesn't have is Heather Moorland. The Burbage Moors are covered in beautiful purple heather carpets at the moment.
(pictures taken from vehicle window and do not do the colours justice.)
Back at Lyme Park
Fallow Deer Buck skull with antlers and a single Red Deer Stag antler.
Notice the 'palmate' form of the Follow Deer antlers. The higher portion taking a hand palm shape with webs between the tines. A single Red Deer antler can be seen behind, by the door.
Drystone Wall Demonstration Prep'
The stone we collected from Longshaw is old stone roofing so very thin. The weight and size will be ideal for the children's 'Have a Go ' sessions, small enough to handle and light enough not to damage toes.
We needed to construct some of the Have a Go wall to assess the amount of stone needed.
Though miniature, the technique of building interlocking stones from both sides and locking with small filler stone in the middle of each layer of the wall remians the same as for a full size wall.
A miniature Drystone Wall at half height.
The Drystone Walling Team will be constructing a demonstration Cheek End
route: The Stables; Lyme Hall Estate Office; Staff Car Park
A quick couple of pictures to remind you that I am in Lyme Park though I haven't been able to show you around in this post.
Lyme Hall North Face
Between The Orangery and The Hall, the aerials of Bowstonegate Farm at the top of the Moor.
Soft Rush
Visible in the foreground on the Red Deer picture at the top of this post is some of the Soft Rush which is in various areas of The Park, is no good for grazing and can take over areas of grassland, particularly in damp areas. The technique of 'topping' is used where the tops are trimmed using a cutter on the tractor preventing seed maturing. It's thought that topping does also suppress the growth assisting in control.After this dry summer (well, until last weekend) Lead Ranger Chris was eyeing up topping the wetter areas which hadn't been accessible last year without the tractor sinking in. Turf House Meadow is probably the worst area for infestation and dampness.
TOXIC!
Common Ragwort
This upright yellow plant, which is appearing in verges and edges of fields, is highly toxic to livestock and horses and is one of the few weeds which has legislation in it's name; the Ragwort Control Act 2003. It is the responsibility of any land owner to avoid it spreading to areas where livestock or horses are kept, hence you will sometimes see it being harvested on motorway verges.The toxicity is highly damaging to the liver and causes death.
When being cleared, skin must be covered to avoid contact as the poison can enter through the skin.
Oddly, the best info' sheet I located is from Oregon state, USA at smallfarms.oregonstate.edu
The RHS have more information regarding Ragwort control etc. www.rhs.org.uk
Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
