New Minnowburn Wood

The lark was on the wing and the snail on the rose-bush this morning, as Bertie Wooster might have said. It was a fine morning for planting young trees.

We, the National Trust Volunteers, numbering a mere two, were augmented by thirty others from the Lagan Valley group.

We walked to a area of about twenty-five acres and planted rows of Belvoir oak, ash and birch at Minnowburn; approximately 500 saplings in all. I gather that in excess of 20,000 saplings have already been planted in what will be a new wood.

Buzzards were gliding and calling plaintively above.


Afterwards we assembled at the Warden's Office for a chin-wag; then I filled two sackfuls of logs for self from the barn. The stock-pile is well depleted, though I expect it shall be replenished during the summer months.