A Look Back on 2014 National Trust Summer

I have failed miserably to post on the old blog in the last few months - life just keeps getting in the way. So the start of 2015 gives me a chance to look back on the last few months....

As usual, volunteering with the National Trust for Scotland took up a number of Saturdays.

Tidying up the willow labyrinth at Falkland Palace in Fife. We had to cut the grass and weave the willow ends in so that people can manage to wander its paths and find its centre.

Building a new set of steps to the path alongside the river in Birnam, Perthshire.

Chopping fallen logs into wood for burning at Killiekrankie.

Not such a dry day at The Pineapple, chopping down brambles and other green stuff, creating space for a tree nursery....amazing that we managed to get the bonfire lit in all the rain and it was a little smoky. Last outing for Harry and Margaret before the emigrated to New Zealand.....

I was also lucky enough to spend a weekend in the Lake District with other NTS volunteers and the Fix the Fells volunteers. We were working on Crinkle Crags, mountains that form a ring around Great Langdale and Upper Eskdale. 

Our task for the weekend was to help create a new path up the hills whilst covering the old path which had created a large scar across the hillside.

The view from parking site. 

Hiking to the work site.

Cutting turf to create the new footpath, using the turf to cover up the wide, old path.

Cutting more turf to enable us to build mounds and dig ditches in an attempt to stop walkers from straying off the path and scarring the hillside. 

Putting the turf back on our newly created hillocks - like a very complicated green jigsaw.

It's been a good year. First trip of 2015 is to the David Livingstone Centre in Blantyre. Birthplace of the explorer/missionary David Livingstone.