My private weekend playground

[rowan lee]

Glad people are enjoying the pictures, I must try and update this more then once a year though

[Stephen Blair]

Great pics!

[rowan lee]

Thought I would update this again, more of the same but in different locations around the estate, taken on my week off during the easter break. I acquired 20 ibc crates in work, and thought I would trial them for seasoning firewood. There is a nice bit of wind here that comes off the lake and the clearing is a a great tip site for odds and ends that don't suit my 1mtr billeting system. I spent abit of time breaking down this wind blown oak that was hung up in a nice beech. Its been down a while, and there is a nice new leader emerging from the trunk close to the stump end, which will hopefully take off. Helped the old man get his stash for 2015/2016 as well. This beech fell during january, but could only access it now with the machinery because it had been so wet. Such a contrast, he even managed to get his van down there with trailer to collect the billets. No day spent wooding would be complete without a few hoppy ales around the fire/furnace. Got a few nice blazes going.

[sandspider]

Not sure I agree about the hoppy ales () but otherwise looks idyllic. Out of interest, how big is the total estate? And why has it been mainly abandoned?

 

Thanks for the pics.

[rowan lee]

Think its about 40 acres mixed woodland/bog, 60 acres of grassland, and 3 acres of formal/walled garden. Not sure why the owners stopped coming back from England to stay. Its a strange one. Unfortunately the big house has really fallen into wreck and ruin now since the funds stopped some years back. No electricity, no running water, birds nesting inside, and some of the strangest fungi I have ever seen growing out of the interiors. Its a real shame, because it when my dad first moved there 15years ago, the place was a hive of activity and everything was in perfect condition. However, doesnt stop me having fun with saw's and splitter though.

[Woodworks]

Nice pictures Rowan

 

I think you will not regret going down the IBC route. How are moving them as you don't seem to have a loader?

Edited May 1, 2014 by Woodworks

[SamWhiting12]

Some great pictures there mate!

[rowan lee]

Nice pictures Rowan

 

I think you will not regret going down the IBC route. How are moving them as you don't seem to have a loader?

No front loader unfortunately, but have a 3 point hitch set of adjustable pallet toes. stacking wont be necessary as there is loads of space in windy places for them. My old firewood method was fell, buck and gather in the woods (1), then load tractor (2), unload, re-handle to split (3), re handle to stack billets (4), re handle to saw up seasoned billets (5), and re handle to load trailer for delivery (6).

 

With the crates I reckon I can eliminate alot of this handling, by simply felling, bucking, splitting (1), loading rack (2), and ibc (3) all in the woods. Crates can then be hauled out a year later when an order comes in.

 

Some great pictures there mate!

Cheers mate.

[GTS]

Looks a fab place to be, nice one

[difflock]

very nice Rowan