Last time we were there was....March, so we were really looking forward to being there again! No volunteering in the visitor centre, as that is obviously closed to the public, but helping to prepare a Halloween trail for the kids for halfterm.
Today we marked out paths with logs and built, what will be, a well. And we helped with building a den with small, thin tree trunks in the woods for “mad Benson”....
(Some background: Benson was one of the island’s owners in the early 18th century. He bought the island for 300 pounds, was hot on introducing all sorts of new kinds of trees, many imported from America. He suffered, however, from bouts of depression and started dabbling in black magic, getting involved with unusual rites and beliefs. Hence the “mad” in his name. We are building the well there because one other owner, Cavendish Bentink, late 19th century, loved and built several wells all over the island and is buried underneath a well in the churchyard.) That's enough history for today, I guess.
So enough lugging of logs, carrying bricks and pulling out ferns to clear the path meant a nicely earned #workoutcomplete! As I was walking along with two really heavy bricks, I did some overhead presses with them, just because I could!😜 I did over 13.000 steps as well. And a “oh wow” from one of the island’s rangers as I carried over three thin tree trunks from his van to the spot where he was building the den...., apparently duly impressed 🤔🤭🤣, put a smile on my face!
Just added these photos for you to enjoy: it’s really an amazingly beautiful place. Photos: some of the trees, the views and the buildings on the island. Top middle pic: my husband sitting by the well and the den in the background.
Back on “our” island.... just some photos!
Last time we were there was....March, so we were really looking forward to being there again! No volunteering in the visitor centre, as that is obviously closed to the public, but helping to prepare a Halloween trail for the kids for halfterm.
Today we marked out paths with logs and built, what will be, a well. And we helped with building a den with small, thin tree trunks in the woods for “mad Benson”....
(Some background: Benson was one of the island’s owners in the early 18th century. He bought the island for 300 pounds, was hot on introducing all sorts of new kinds of trees, many imported from America. He suffered, however, from bouts of depression and started dabbling in black magic, getting involved with unusual rites and beliefs. Hence the “mad” in his name. We are building the well there because one other owner, Cavendish Bentink, late 19th century, loved and built several wells all over the island and is buried underneath a well in the churchyard.) That's enough history for today, I guess.
So enough lugging of logs, carrying bricks and pulling out ferns to clear the path meant a nicely earned #workoutcomplete! As I was walking along with two really heavy bricks, I did some overhead presses with them, just because I could!😜 I did over 13.000 steps as well. And a “oh wow” from one of the island’s rangers as I carried over three thin tree trunks from his van to the spot where he was building the den...., apparently duly impressed 🤔🤭🤣, put a smile on my face!
Just added these photos for you to enjoy: it’s really an amazingly beautiful place. Photos: some of the trees, the views and the buildings on the island. Top middle pic: my husband sitting by the well and the den in the background.