Showing posts with label wood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wood. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Wood 4
We haven't been to Robin's Wood for ages and ages. But we returned in style last week for some wild camping and it was glorious. Even with all 4 of us squashed into a very small 4 person tent we still enjoyed it. As you can see below a lot of hard work was endured.
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Sunday, 23 February 2014
Wood 2
It's been half term which means a trip out to The Wood. We collected my friend and her daughter - more manpower and a playing mate for the children and met my brother and his partner at the wood. This was my third trip but no more walking through the wood and admiring it but working this time. We cleared undergrowth away from some new oak and silver birch saplings. Quite hazardous at times with branches poking in eyes and brambles drawing blood.
The children found a likely place for a den and constructed a bridge across a damp patch. C fell in the bog but was undaunted.
However, we will have to get our act together for next time. In previous journeys we have treated ourselves to lunch at a deli in the local town but this time we plumped for a campfire and a stew: cheaper and more in the spirit of wood dwelling. But we weren't very organised. What's the expression....too many cooks.... we discovered that we had no kettle in which to boil water for our morning coffee nor cups from which to drink the reviving brew. But we channelled Ray Mears and boiled water in a wok and drank French style from bowls. First hurdle crossed.
Still there was the stew to look forward to except we soon discovered we had no spoons with which to devour the stew. Well actually we had one spoon and although we are all friends together we did think it might take rather too long for seven of us to eat our delicious fish stew with one spoon no matter how bonding it might be. So one of us was dispatched to the local town and charity shop to procure 7 forks for the grand sum of 10p each. Henceforth they will be known as The Woodcraft Forks ( a gentle pun on Woodcraft Folk which my brother's daughters and his partner's son used to go to when they were children). The stew was delicious and consumed with extra appreciation with our charity forks although Ray might be a tad disappointed that we didn't hewn our own spoons from the twigs surrounding us.
Just as the rain started we packed up, all satisfied of a great day spent in The Wood.
Wildlife spotted: buzzard and evidence of badgers
The children found a likely place for a den and constructed a bridge across a damp patch. C fell in the bog but was undaunted.
However, we will have to get our act together for next time. In previous journeys we have treated ourselves to lunch at a deli in the local town but this time we plumped for a campfire and a stew: cheaper and more in the spirit of wood dwelling. But we weren't very organised. What's the expression....too many cooks.... we discovered that we had no kettle in which to boil water for our morning coffee nor cups from which to drink the reviving brew. But we channelled Ray Mears and boiled water in a wok and drank French style from bowls. First hurdle crossed.
Still there was the stew to look forward to except we soon discovered we had no spoons with which to devour the stew. Well actually we had one spoon and although we are all friends together we did think it might take rather too long for seven of us to eat our delicious fish stew with one spoon no matter how bonding it might be. So one of us was dispatched to the local town and charity shop to procure 7 forks for the grand sum of 10p each. Henceforth they will be known as The Woodcraft Forks ( a gentle pun on Woodcraft Folk which my brother's daughters and his partner's son used to go to when they were children). The stew was delicious and consumed with extra appreciation with our charity forks although Ray might be a tad disappointed that we didn't hewn our own spoons from the twigs surrounding us.
Just as the rain started we packed up, all satisfied of a great day spent in The Wood.
Wildlife spotted: buzzard and evidence of badgers
Saturday, 4 January 2014
New Wood
The Blakeleys have a new project for 2014. Well not specifically our project but one we are keen to help with. My brother has bought a wood. Not a piece of wood for the fire but a 7 acre forest wood with trees! We all went en famille yesterday to visit it. As we were walking through it my brother got the phone call to verify that it was his wood. Wow, your very own wood to play in.
The children are very excited and want to go every weekend. It's in North Yorkshire so it is a bit of a journey but one we are keen to make every so often. There is much to do like making a camping area, clearing bracken and dead wood, planting new trees, building dens, making swings, creating an archery area, oh the list is endless. I think we are all excited and a little in awe of the task ahead but we will go with the flow and see what 2014 brings. Fear not, I'll keep you up-to-date with all things wooden.
Wildlife spotted: buzzard, owl
The children are very excited and want to go every weekend. It's in North Yorkshire so it is a bit of a journey but one we are keen to make every so often. There is much to do like making a camping area, clearing bracken and dead wood, planting new trees, building dens, making swings, creating an archery area, oh the list is endless. I think we are all excited and a little in awe of the task ahead but we will go with the flow and see what 2014 brings. Fear not, I'll keep you up-to-date with all things wooden.
Wildlife spotted: buzzard, owl
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