- Starts: Friday 24 February 2017 and ends: Sunday 26 February 2017
- Ride leader/Event organiser: Andy Henderson
- Category: Other events
At: Slindon Estate
Contact us about this event
Send an email to ride leader/event organiser: Andy Henderson.
Map
Once again we’re organising a bunch of vandals volunteers to wreak havoc to support the work of the National Trust on the Slindon estate.
The plan is to meet at the Slindon Basecamp during the afternoon of Friday 24th February. There is plenty of parking on site for those who prefer to drive. I can also organise a car share if that would help. People cycling don’t have to carry their kit – again I can arrange help with transport.
We’ll have a substantial evening meal together to prepare for the oncoming labours. Brian and Joan Dell – long-time Slindon week-enders – will lead the catering for us. Just bring a bottle or can or two of what you fancy.
Saturday will be a day of hard work that starts with a hearty cooked breakfast. We’ll have a packed lunch in the woods and come back to a splendid feast on Saturday evening. Do I make it sound like food and drink are an important feature of the week-end? Good, I got that right, then.
It’s a little too early to tell what we’ll be doing, so things might change. The current plan is to do some coppicing – a technical term for chopping down a load of small trees so that shoots will grow from the stumps. We’ll stack logs that the National Trust can sell and burn the rest. The aim of the exercise is to encourage local wildlife and help manage the woodland. Don’t worry if you haven’t done anything like this before (or if you need a reminder of how to fell a tree), we’ll have expert tuition and supervision on site. The National Trust will provide tools and heavy gloves. You’ll need to bring some suitable clothes (think heavy gardening) and strong boots if you have them.
Sunday morning sees another big breakfast, more work in the woods, and a left-overs lunch (be prepared for some exotic combinations). We’ll then go home tired but satisfied in the knowledge that there’s a piece of Slindon woodland that will never be quite the same again.
Our accommodation is two dormitories: one for men and one for women. You’ll need to bring pillows and sleeping bags (or similar). Ear plugs would be a good idea if you have trouble sleeping (I’m not talking only to the men!)
As volunteers we’re not charged anything for the use of Basecamp. We’ll tot up the cost of the food and divvy it up among everyone attending. From memory it was significantly under £20 per person last year.
We can accommodate up to 17 people. Partners – even non-cycling ones – are welcome.
Sounds like something you’d like to do? Want to know more?
You can see some photos from previous week-end's here, here and here.
If you'd like to learn more or book a place, let Andy know.