BTCV Edinburgh Diary

We carried on at Newhaven Church on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. We didn't have too many more obstacles, only a couple more giant rocks to get past. The ground is now level to within nanometres (until the plan changes again...), so we've started to dig the post holes and build some of the frames.

On Thursday we were at Portobello Community Orchard. We were clearing the ground along the south side of the orchard, ready for the community group to plant some espaliers. A couple of determined sorts had a go at removing some of the smaller tree stumps around the orchard, with varying degrees of success.

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 21:13 0 comments  

Labels: Newhaven Church, Portobello Community Orchard

The group started quite a big project at Newhaven Church this week. We are putting in some decking and a ramp for use by the Church cafe (we can strongly recommend their coffee cake). So on Tuesday we removed the turf and started digging. It all went pretty well until the end of the day when Kate found an old gas pipe...

So on Wednesday we were back at the church and a man from the gas board was going to come to verify that the pipe was indeed dead. However during the tool talk we got a slight whiff of gas; it was probably from the gasworks over the back wall but we decided it best to leave. So after a quick changeover of tools, lunchtime saw us at Corstorphine Hill playing a few games of Tunnel-Tig to keep warm in the mist. We then spent the afternoon removing some old rickety fencing and clearing a lot of litter.

The pipe turned out to be completely dead, no one was ever in any danger, so we were back at the church to continue excavations on Thursday. There was some slight confusion over levels and a lot of huge rocks had to be shifted, but we made good progress.

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 09:19 0 comments  

Labels: Newhaven Church

The group were at Ferryhill Primary on Tuesday, working on a couple of different tasks. The majority was working in the millennium woodland lifting the crowns of the trees, making it easier for the children to move about the woods. The other job was to build half a dozen tree guards for some young apple trees, which had been planted at the end of the football pitch. They look great, but we just hope the kids don't see them as a challenge!

We were back at the Rocheid Path for the final (woohoo!) couple of days on Wednesday and Thursday. Some path edging was put in at the far end (no sleepers this time) and heather added to brighten it up a bit. There were a few holes in the path at the top end which we filled with rock and covered with whindust. We also lobbed a lot of topsoil down the gigantic slope, in the hopes that something might be encouraged to grow and so that anyone hopping over the edge won't break their ankles. Some rowan and hawthorn were planted further up to try to shield the houses opposite from missiles thrown from the path. Some stones apparently actually hit their mark and break windows; perhaps the perpetrators should be signed up to the Scottish cricket team!

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 13:18 0 comments  

Labels: Ferryhill Primary, Rocheid Path

It's certainly been a busy period of change on the Volunteer Officer front as I'm sure you've all noticed. Gemma has departed and we have been joined by Alaitz and most recently, David.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to Gemma for all of her hard work as a VO. She contributed hugely to the Edinburgh office with her enthusiasm, hard work and wondrous baking. This blog was her invention and has proved to be such a success that all BTCV Scotland offices have joined in! I wish her all the very best for her new job as Seasonal Ranger at Hopetoun House and look forward to hearing all about it.

I am sure that Alaitz and David will make great additions to the BTCV Edinburgh team and we can still rely on Anna for cakes!

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 16:37 0 comments  

We started the week back at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, working in the orchard preparing the ground for more carpet-tile paths and also finishing spreading the bark in the garden at the Orchard Clinic.

At Ravelston Woods on Wednesday we repaired some post and wire fencing. We also planted a lot of prickly plants; the plan being to discourage people from climbing to the top of the quarry where they keep ruining our fences!

We (hopefully) sorted out some drainage problems at Craigmillar Castle Park on Thursday by building 2 french drains. We also raked over some earth and sowed wildflower seeds. And as Pat was in shorts for the first time, we can announce that it is officially springtime.

Posted by BTCV Edinburgh at 11:52 0 comments  

Labels: Craigmillar, Ravelston Woods, Royal Edinburgh