Monthly Archives: May 2026

Architecture, Farm engineering

New River Crossing — Ahead of Schedule and Under Budget

You must be joking — it’s not possible in this day and age.

Here’s the problem:

There was a bridge here, early 20th century and unsafe. So, in the interests of health and safety and driven by ill-considered impulse, I demolished it. Then discovered that the sheep won’t wade to the other side; they don’t like getting their feet wet and have no concept of a ford.

I know, I’ll put in some stepping stones. We’ve got lots of boulder that we dug out of the foundations of our old Dutch barn and I’ve seen the sheep happily balancing on the rocks.

Daunting task but here’s the answer:

Civil engineer extraordinaire. I explained the vague concept and showed him the stones.

“What you need is an Irish Bridge.”

It might look simple but it isn’t — every stone was sized and places with upmost care, backed up and wedged. We don’t want it washing away or eroding the bank.

Later that morning we have an Irish bridge.

Solid granite, firmly bedded in, with nothing to rot or rust and no moving parts. The flow is unimpeded and undiverted and when in flood will flow over the top. A Mediaeval solution to a 21st century problem. We didn’t have to buy anything —

Sustainable bridge building! All you need is Meuryg and his digger.

Suitable for the most risk averse.

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farming, Health and safety, Hill Farming, trees, Wales

Lumberjack’s assistants ride again!

We’re still reeling from the gales of the last several months; tidying up what we can.

But some things are beyond us; we need a Lumberjack; Tree surgeon Barry and we are juniors again!

Here’s the pared down problem. Half a ton (maybe more) of oak suspended precariously over a broken fence, through which the sheep have already escaped. They were oblivious to the danger — we were not. They have been retrieved and taken to a place of safety.

Here’s Barry putting on his harness. He assesses the situation.

Up he goes.

Would I like to have a go? Well actually yes I would! He doesn’t ask again.

Suspended from much higher, he dangles, assessing the problem; it’s all a question of balance, most things are.

All tidied up, Bill and I hauled the lumber down to the barn in the trusty trailer with the surprisingly co-operative quad bike, since the war in Ukraine it prefers to be called an ATV. No one was shot.

I chauffeured the surgeon to his next case in the truck. As I didn’t have my reading glasses, Barry worked the 4-wheel drive gear stick — I did the rest and felt like a rally driver.

Here’s the next challenge, Bill risk- assessing. He knows this slippery and grumpy character — the tree, that is, that made us call for help in the first place. Fortunately when bucked off this bough Bill rolled like a parachutist avoiding major injury!

With consummate skill the mixed hazel and hawthorn is coaxed from the arms of it’s neighbour and no one is injured this time.

Tree Surgeon in repose — taking well earned refreshment.

Thanks Barry

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