Martin’s Bowland Blog

Martin’s blog will cover things that have been happening in Bowland that may have been missed by the national or local press.

Suggestions and comments are always welcome from locals and visitors alike.

Martin Charlesworth is Community Projects Officer for Bowland.

Migrating birdwatcher helps illuminate Bowland in the East
Mon, 8 Feb 2010 4:41pm

In the same way that migrating birds crisscross the globe and butterflies traverse continents, birdwatchers from Yorkshire are regularly crossing the Pennines. How do I know this? It is not by observation on the A59 or by tagging of RSPB members, but via the remarkable Hillam News - 'The Voice of Hillam Village', a fearsome no holds barred sort of publication that strikes fear into the hearts of....those who have something to fear, which was recently sent to me and I quote extensively here from their Birding Column, written by Graham Todd. A nice descriptive piece about a well known area in Bowland -

 

"Before the present cold snap took hold, I drove over to Lancashire, principally to do a 7 mile walk round Stocks Reservoir... There is one of my favourite landscapes, with long views of the rolling, distant hills of Bowland, interspersed with purple grouse moors; but the main attraction for me and other birdwatchers, is that there is lots of glorious birding habitat thereabouts - wet, undrained grassland abounding with wading birds in the spring and summer. I wasn’t looking for grouse or waders though, as I wanted to explore the surrounding farmland, to try to locate the site of a little known roost of harriers and owls. The walk round Stocks reservoir was good exercise, but of very little interest bird wise, and by the time the sun began to set, it was becoming exceedingly cold. I got into the car and drove off to the area of wet rushy bog that I had read about as being a good place to see Shorteared Owls and Hen Harriers in the winter. Luckily for me, a birder from Burnley turned up shortly after I arrived, and he was able to confirm this was the correct place, but by this time it was absolutely freezing! A Peregrine Falcon flew over in pursuit of a Lapwing shortly after I arrived, to be joined by another Peregrine a few minutes later. Most people have read about the flying skills and spectacular dives of the Peregrine in pursuit of prey, but this bird must have been a juvenile, as it was totally useless, and the Lapwing escaped its lethal talons. It put on a memorable performance nonetheless, against a perfect azure sky, bordered by pink edged clouds to the west, illuminated by the setting sun. My day was complete, when in the gathering gloom, I spotted three Short-eared Owls hunting the long damp grasses, joined later by a couple of now very rare Hen Harriers, and after a couple of brief pursuits over dry stone wall, the birds all went to roost."

If anyone in Bowland has been birdwatching in or near Hillam, North Yorkshire, then please let me know - we should send them an article. 

 

The fairytale of Lowgill Lake (Tatham Fells School Pond project)
Sun, 31 Jan 2010 5:00pm

Tatham fence

You can see what fun everyone had completing this wonderful project by the smiles here - see previous posts for the history of this project. We left last Sunday with the ground looking like a building site - which is what it was. When we arrived on a cloudless but cold Saturday morning, it was as if the 'Little Elves' had been to  help us in our task. (The Little Elves helped the Shoemaker according to the Brothers Grimm by making shoes every night after he leaves out the materials and goes to bed exhausted). In this case, the Little Elves had used a mini digger to level the rough ground and had also knocked in several fence posts. Magic! They had also sprinkled sparkling jewels over the trees, spread the surface of the pond with swirls of frosted ice, delivered 4 tons of stone and lots of timber. Clever little elves!

Finished platform

And here's how the day went....One team, armed with tape measure, saws and a pencil gradually covered the frame of the dipping platform with planks as another group prepared the frozen ground with spades and rakes and then laid out the sides of the snaking path with half rounds of timber. Others strung a fence from the pond to the school. As the sun began to sink, there remained the small matter of 4 tons of frozen stone to shovel, barrow and lay on the path. Instead of flagging, the effort intensified and the path unfolded before our eyes. A final touch was to 'plant' ten large logs on end to make rustic seats. 

Mushroom seats

Those people who came to help should be very proud of their efforts. Heroic!  

So thanks to Kath Godfrey from BTCV for the design and leadership of the task. Thanks to Andrew Taylor for Olympic standard fencing skills, heavy lifting and nocturnal magic. Thanks to Jodie Lumb, headmistress, and family, friends and local residents of Tatham Fells.  A great job! 

broken pickaxe

 

After winning the fencing competition, Andrew took on a large lump of concrete with a borrowed pickaxe and won convincingly. However, the pickaxe also came off second best and may have to retire. The owner of the pickaxe is managing to smile - with difficulty. 

 

'Never seen one of these bend before' said Andrew, do you believe him? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yorkshire roots
Thu, 28 Jan 2010 4:50pm

I was across in Yorkshire yesterday at the Yorkshire Dales National Park offices in Bainbridge. I was born in Ackworth, near Pontefract in Yorkshire and the Dales was a long drive over twisting roads when I was young - not much different nowadays. Prior to 1974, of course, Dunsop Bridge was also in Yorkshire and you can still see the WR (West Riding) markers either side of the bridge. I asked the Yorkshire Dales people, in passing, if they knew what colour they used to be painted and they didn't know for sure but Peter Iles, the county Archaeologist tells me that they were probably black letters on white.  

 

On my way home from Bainbridge, I saw a derelict walled garden just outside Kettlewell. It has recently been bought by the Scargill Movement (check the link to see who they are and their aims). Volunteers have been renovating the centre; a stylish old house with later additions to make many more bedrooms and a very impressive chapel with massive oak pews and a steeply pitched roof. The garden, which is on a sloping wooded hillside, has a large glasshouse and you could imagine the place teeming with fruit and vegetables. Could the community there be self supporting, I wondered? That made me think about an event that is being run by Transition Town Clitheroe on Sat 6th Feb called 'Can Clitheroe feed itself'. 'Can pigs fly?'  was my first thought but hang on, that's a bit too glib. Yesterday, just by chance, I was sent an article in the Yorkshire Post about my cousin John Brook a farmer who runs a veg box scheme near Pontefract. The article says 'at this time of year, apart from a few hothouse tomatoes, his veg-box customers get potatoes, onions, carrots, sprouts, leeks and cabbage – seasonal and local.' That's how it used to be and that's how it still is then - at least in John Brook's house and a few others. The article contrasts this with some veg box suppliers who throw in imported food.

 

So this is what we must all do – gather together our friends and relatives, build a walled garden and grow some fruit and veg…..and maybe pray as well.

Secret garden at Tatham Fells
Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:50am

On Sunday a dozen or more enthusiastic volunteers helped to clear the derelict pond and garden next to Tatham Fells School and build a dipping platform - see previous blog below. The garden had been locked up so long that the gate was overgrown with hawthorn and blackthorn and no one there could remember the last time anyone had been in.

Volunteer line upThe first task was to cut a new entrance through the hedge and begin to clear the many small trees that had set in the garden; keeping some back to replant along a new fence line. Work then began on measuring and cutting timber to fit around the pond to make a dipping platform. Three sections were assembled in the car park before lifting them into position.

Headmistress, Jodie Lumb (third from the right) is looking forward to classes being able to sit round the pond and dip into the pond to have a look at the creatures that live in and around there.

 

Kath Godfrey drilling at Tatham

Kath Godfrey from BTCV, the practical conservation charity, shown here drilling, drew up the plans and supervised construction.

A special mention must go to local farmer and school governor, Andrew Taylor who brought tools both ancient and modern for digging and filling holes through soil, clay and rock. I'll line them and him up and take a photograph next week – the task continues next Saturday.  

No one took a dip - maybe next week!

 

Where did I bury the silver?
Fri, 22 Jan 2010 1:30pm

 

 

Mick NearyIn mid December, local photographer John Eveson, carried his camera and lights into the middle of a field near Chipping where Michael Neary was working repairing field drains. The danger was that the natural light would be insufficient to produce a 'good shot.' Michael had asked John to take a picture of him working for his booklet of poems titled 'My way home to Chippin'. Here's the result and I don't think I've seen a more dramatic photograph in a long time. The printing presses are now rolling and the booklet is about to hit the (cobbled?) streets of Chipping and further still. Further details and a poem about the Hodder....in a short while.

 

 

Hodder Valley Winter Olympics bid for 2022?
Tue, 5 Jan 2010 10:47am

Every cloud has a silver lining and maybe that could turn to Olympic gold for Bowland if the current weather patterns are repeated for the next dozen or so years. The next 3 winter Olympic venues are spoken for; Vancouver this year, Sochi in 2014 and Annecy, Munich or PyeongChang (the only 3 bidders) in 2018. This leaves us free to bid for 2022. 

Keen to see the bid succeed will be Dave Padley (Lancashire County Council's Countryside Officer) pictured right who will be targeting the River Hodder downhill salmon. (Should that be Slalom?)

 

Pond therapy
Mon, 4 Jan 2010 2:50pm

Still frozen, I know, but let's hope that it thaws out before Sunday 24th Jan when we plan to start renovation of the pond at Lowgill school. (Tatham Fells Primary). A bit more than a renovation actually. Kath Godfrey of BTCV (the practical conservation charity) has drawn up the plan you see here with a dipping platform, path and mushroom seats. The pond at present is weed infested, the ground is uneven and the hedge is overgrown so much that the area has been closed to pupils for several years.

If you are able to help local volunteers on Sat 24th or Sun 30th Jan transform this area then please contact me and I will give you more details. All tools and training will be provided.

 

One of Kath's designs built by Kath and BTCV groups throughout the NW won the silver medal at Tatton garden festival last year. See drawing opposite.

BTCV is an interesting organisation that does practical work, runs training courses and organises 'conservation holidays' in this country and overseas.

All being well we'll have a BTCV weekend conservation break repairing field drains with Michael Neary (see previous postings) this year. Unmissable? Unique? Certainly!

 

 

 

As soon as this pub closes, the revolution starts!*
Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:20pm

I've just collected several fruit trees and bushes to plant on the road leading up to our new offices at the Stables, Dunsop Bridge. I was going to title this posting, 'As soon as it stops snowing, I'll plant the apple trees.' but as soon as I thought of that line, the tune of another song came into my head.

The varieties of apple we have are as follows -  Cockpit improved, Dog's snout, Golden Spire, Hunt House, Ladies finger of Lancaster, Ribston Pippin. We also have a quince a damson (Merryweather) and a black and a red currant. 

*Alex Glasgow wrote the song about the delayed revolution whose last verse is -

'So raise your glasses, everyone, for everything is planned, And each and every mother's son will see the Promised Land.'

Never mind the Promised Land, I just hope I'll be able to get to Dunsop Bridge after Christmas!

Is this bird rare enough for you, sir?
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 1:43pm

Gavin eating DuckAs I mentioned on a previous posting, I was waiting for confirmation of the eating preferences of Gavin Thomas (The RSPB's guardian of wading birds in Bowland), when along came this opportunity to grill the local ornithologist at the famous Inn at Whitewell. 'Would you like your bird well done, medium or rare?' asked the waitress. Gavin had plumped for Goosnargh duck which he assures me has slipped off the endangered list.

So look after wild birds this Christmas and remember that they need feeding too - but there is one less mouth to feed in Goosnargh this year.

 

Secret meetings with reclusive Ribble Valley poet
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 4:22pm

Over the past few weeks I have been meeting reclusive Ribble Valley poet Michael Neary in local hostelries under cover of darkness to discuss the imminent publication of several of his poems. The slim volume is now 'at the printers'. In a scene reminiscent of 'The Third Man',# I met Chipping born, field drainage guru, Michael two weeks ago loitering under a lampost in Barrow before moving on to the Freemasons arms in Wiswell. This Monday, we met in the dimly lit back room of the Tillotson's in Chipping to discuss AE Houseman, Trevor Cherry and Frank Worthington - and the book. Our cover was blown by everyone saying, 'Hello Michael' as we entered; it was just the same in the Freemason's arms. My wife is now getting suspicious of these evening trips to meet strange men so it's just as well that the volume is nearly ready!

#Not to be confused with The Third Policeman.