waterbuoy

Thanks - very generous offer (and attractive!) The total length of the hazel section is as shown in the photos - about 12-15' - so hopefully manageable for a newbie (even with cracked ribs!) once I know what I'm doing - but I suspect that does not make it a viable trip! I realise that simply giving a haircut is likely to exacerbate the issue, hence the questions. Maybe I need to revert to further research before attempting anything, or at least look back through some of your own threads etc. Do they tend to be in the 'today's thread' or elsewhere?

We have about 4" of topsoil (ie dark with high organic levels), then maybe 12-15" of soil before you get to the regolith.

That is kind of what I was hoping to do - but in these parts (west coast of Scotland) it isn't really 'a thing'. I was thinking of: Cutting the top down to about 10' high - with loppers and secateurs Trying to weave as many of the horizontal branches back into the hedge as possible. My understanding is that it is no great problem if they split provided they don't actually snap. Does this sound Ok and, if so, should I be cutting anything off the horizontals before I weave them back in?

Evening all Part of our boundary is a mixed hedge which faces onto a single track road - the other side of this is the foreshore and then the sea. Most of the hedge is impenetrable rhododendron and similar, but a short section of it is hazel - photos below taken in January. This part of the hedge is relatively 'transparent', even when in full leaf. I'm hoping to prune it to encourage fresh growth to increase density of cover etc. Having previously researched this I concluded that February would be a good time to do this. However, I managed to reconfirm that gravity still exists at the start of the month and broke three ribs whilst skiiing. I'm close to being mended just now, but catkins have begun to form on the hazel. My questions are as follows: 1 Is it still OK to prune the hedge just now, or have I missed the window? 2 If pruning now is OK, any suggestions as to how this should be done to encourage fresh growth to increase density? 3 If pruning now is not OK, when should I plan to prune it? Thanks in advace.

Am I missing something, or does the revised NI/Windsor deal actually show a degree of pragmatism and common sense?: Northern Ireland Brexit deal: At-a-glance WWW.BBC.CO.UK What does the new Windsor Framework agreement between the UK and the EU include?

Just moving up and down on a rope can mean that the dynamic forces are up to twice that of the static force. The following is a video I took when operating a cableway that is used to measure river flow. I was winding a 50kg weight out and back, and had installed a calibrated load cell inbetween the weight and the suspension cable. Just moving out and back the maximum observed force was 81kg. When we changed mode and lifted/lowered the weight we quickly exceeded this, topping out at 88kgf (from a 50kg weight remember). Yes the SWL of the MEWP should take account of this, but whatever you do the factors of safety are going to be significantly reduced.

I think you would have to be very careful about dynamic loading - even just stopping abruptly when abseiling will significantly increase the force on the MEWP compared to a static load (ie that which would arise when stood in the bucket/basket). Needless to say, you would also want to check with your insurers too.

There may be a difference between 'top soil' and 'topsoil'?

Rest assured it does not get any easier, just more expensive

what could possibly go wrong!😬

Thanks I'm about to build a small cabin in our garden for my wife to work in and, to make space, will be cutting down four sizeable larch trees - all >100' tall and dbh of around 18" to 2'. My pal has a woodmizer so I'll start doing some rough sums to see if it is a viable alternative to steel sheeting - if not then I will mill the timber to clad part of workshop that will be phase III of the planned works.

A couple of questions from the 'interested but ill-informed': What are the longevity implications of sawn vs riven shingles; Might is be possible to make them from uk larch, and What is the minimum roof pitch they can be used on? Thanks

They could, but in part it all comes down to what the consumer is prepared to pay. If UK apple growers are pulling out acres of apple trees because they can't afford to store the apples they grow, and the last year's crop are being left on the ground to rot, it is going to take some huge gonads to try and turn brownfield sites into something which makes economic sense for food production.

I was thinking of Baldrick for some reason

I think it is more because they are working with 'Virtual' AToNs. For example, by transmitting an appropriate signal on the AIS (Automatic Identification Syatem) 'system' they are able to replicate a 'virtual' lighthouse or navigation mark in the same way that a ship or other vessel is able to be represented on the AIS. Vessels within range pick up this signal on their transceivers and it then plots automatically on their electronic charts DGPS will still be needed by the vessels to plot their own position - the lighthouse authorities are simply keeping up with technology and, in so doing, ensure that their VAToNs are only received by those to whom they are directly rrelevant. I guess that in the long term there may be savings to be made, but the reality is that they are also having to maintain some of the physical AToNs to keep up with international committments etc.

Part of my marine work includes overlap with the NLB (Northern Lighthouse Board) and yes, the vast majority of their lights are directional. However, anyone who has spent a night outside in the vicinity of a lighthouse will know that the light can be visible behind the itended direction - don't know why, maybe due to reflection of particles in the atmosphere? The evolution of AToNs (Aids to Navigation) is rapid at present - Virtual and Electronic means such as signals transmitted on AIS are expanding, whereas only last year the lighthouse authorities discontinued their Differential GPS service. I am a total luddite, and have always enjoyed looking at charts and maps, so was somewhat disappointed to hear that the UKHO is to discontinue printing paper charts. Anyhoo, my original point was/is that it just struck me as rather ironic that the first Dark Light Sanctuary to be declared in Europe was on an island which has a lighthouse on it - nothing more than that!

I may be missing something here, but I see in the news that Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) has been awarded status as a dark sky sanctuary: Dark Skies: Welsh island is first sanctuary in Europe WWW.BBC.CO.UK Ynys Enlli, also known as Bardsey Island, officially has one of the best night skies in the world. Yet when I think of Bardsey I immediately think of the bloody great lighthouse that is stuck on the end of it: Bardsey Lighthouse | Trinity House WWW.TRINITYHOUSE.CO.UK

More likely handbags at dawn!

Was that prior to n APF show by any chance?

Try a kilt?