Ashridge Volunteers

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Horses and riders were eager to get started on the third Ashridge fun ride, held last Sunday in ideal conditions. The Trust furthered it’s aim of attracting more of the equestrian crowd to the Estate – there is nothing nicer for an urban visitor than to see a horse rider at Ashridge adding to the rural charm of the place. So much so that riders are often embarrassed by the requests to pose for pictures!
Over sixty permit holders now take advantage of the twenty miles or so of bridleways and permitted ways set up by the Trust at Ashridge – the whole of Sallow Copse is now open to horse riders and a dedicated map is available.
The way-marked route on Sunday extended to some ten miles taking in the varied scenery on the Estate, and was marshalled throughout by the volunteers.
Participants could start the ride anytime between 9am and 12pm, setting off from Barrack Square, costing £20 for adults and £10 for a child, although participants who held a valid annual riding permit were eligible for a 50% discount.
A first aid team was based at the Estate Office and vets were on call for the duration of the ride,which passed off without incident.
Susie reported that “the feedback from the riders had been amazing.  They all reported that the way-marking was superb, that the variety of landscapes we have here was breathtaking and that it was all brilliantly organised”.
A first participant on the fun ride with her friend who is also a riding instructor, both commented on a wonderful experience and said they would do it again.
The volunteer marshals were Richard Gwilt, Alistair Troup, Andy Watson, and Bernard Elgar.

Thanks to Richard for his contribution to the post.

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This new practice, which is a form of meditation on the move, helps us to feel more connected to the environment of which we are an inseparable part.  There is no destination in mind, it’s all about the travel. This environmental connection cultivates situational awareness, in which we put all of our available attention on our surroundings rather than mindlessly walking from place to place. Subconsciously this was no doubt the case for the thirty or so volunteers taking part in the country walk on Monday last, in celebration of national “Volunteers Week”. Embracing the landscape of the Ivinghoe hills and in particular the delights of the wild flowers which are now appearing in such profusion on the slopes.
The rare pasque flower blooming at Easter may have gone over now, but is replaced by other unusual chalk-land plants like the scarce early gentian or the field fleawort, linking us to past times when the country folk relied upon nature for medicinal cures – how did fleawort deal with fleas? The subject of wild flowers might not be stimulating for all , but it was the focus of attention especially when explained by enthusiastic tour guides like Lawrence and Emily.
So despite the weather which was damp and windy, the guided walk was well attended and went off well, supported by six staff members. The tour took two hours from the Beacon car park, and a picnic lunch provided by the Trust was enjoyed back at Basecamp.
Susie took the opportunity to thank all present for their commitment to the Trust pointing out that some eighty seven volunteers had recorded some two thousand four hundred hours of work so far this year.

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Volunteers are very special people whose donation of time and effort warrants special consideration. They should always be encouraged to develop, learn and seek fulfilment as they help an organization, even if it means accepting the reality that not everyone is perfect for every job.

A current list of volunteering activities at Ashridge would include such varied pursuits as;-

Gardening at Northchurch Flats and Frithsden.

Carpentry at the Estate saw-mill.

Landscaping in the Park.

Twitching for the public on Northchurch common.

Horticulture at the Plant Fair.

Early- bird surveying.

Flint walling, and Windmill keeping.

Hedge laying.

Walking guides, and shop keepers.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Ontario , Canada, have seen fit to publish their take on the subject and this is their thinking :

Formal recognition is important to the volunteer. The public need to be told of their generosity of spirit without expecting personal gain, at dinners, in press releases, and in public notices.

Informal recognition is even more important. It takes place on a one-to-one basis and is achieved through personal meetings, emails, newsletters etc.

Recognition can be likened to an iceberg. The formal recognition is visible by all above the waterline, while the informal is the large mass below the water. It’s a much greater area to respond to.

Recognition and encouragement are essential to stimulating and maintaining active involvement, and can be achieved in various ways.

Spontaneity – expressing the appreciation or recognition on the spot.

Sincerity – phoniness is worse than saying nothing.

Specifics – speaking in generalities does not inspire confidence.

Thanks – a handshake, a pat on the back, or a smile.

Demeanor – facial expression or body language.

Creativity – using a variety of jobs to find ways of involving volunteers.

Humour – being able to laugh.

There are many ways to recognize people for their efforts – a smile, a thank-you, awards, reimbursement of expenses, name tags, letters of appreciation, dinners, special occasion cards, calendars, a picnic…

Here at Ashridge the Trust make every effort to tick all of the boxes, so let’s meet up on Monday at the picnic to mark the start of national “Volunteers Week”, and celebrate another successful year of volunteering.

Early-bird volunteers are being called out to lend an ear with the bird surveys led by staff members at 6am on Fridays in May and June. If you have never risen at daybreak, which you should do at least once in life to hear the dawn chorus, now is your chance. Resident skylarks and meadow pipits are in abundance on Northchurch common and migrating song birds are busy nesting on the Ivinghoe hills. Large numbers of the declining corn bunting have been spotted around Pitstone hill.

We know that spring has truly sprung when the air fills with a cacophony of tweets and chirrups and birdsong builds to a daily crescendo at dawn. On International Dawn Chorus Day the break of day is followed from India to Ireland by over 300 international radio stations, each listening for unique local delights. But what makes it worth getting up for?

1. Dawn is the best time for hearing bird song
Bird song carries further at dawn, meaning you can hear it much more clearly. In fact, this is a major reason why birds sing at daybreak. As well as a lack of background noise, reduced wind and air turbulence mean bird song at dawn is up to 20 times more effective than at midday. So not only do birds sing more, but you can hear them from further away.

2. There are more birds to hear now that at any other time in the year
The best dawn choruses can only be heard for a short time, and that time is now. This is because migrant birds have arrived in the UK and are making themselves known in order to secure territory and attract mates. As soon as they have reared a brood a lot of birds stop singing, so the full chorus that International Dawn Chorus Day is timed for will not be around for long.

3. Birds can sing more than one note at a time
Most birds have a syrinx which works like our human vocal cords. Unlike the larynx of mammals, it is located where the windpipe forks into the lungs. In some cases, such as the song thrush which can be heard at Ham Wall in Somerset where Radio 4 broadcasts from on International Dawn Chorus Day, it can produce multiple tones at the same time, hence the complexity of sound in a single bird’s song.

4. Birds have accents
According to some 2011 research, birds in towns and cities have higher pitched calls than those in the country. This enables their calls to better bounce off the hard surfaces of urban areas. So wherever you are, there is something special about the birdsong you can hear in the morning.

5. The dawn chorus changes throughout the morning
Different birds sing at different times, with some, like the song thrush, starting even before the sunrise. Robins, blackbirds, wrens and chaffinches are among early risers, with other birds adding their voices later in the morning. So, once you’re up and listening, stick around to hear the new voices joining the chorus.

6. The great songbirds have learned their craft
Songbirds can be divided into oscines and suboscines. While oscines (regarded as the true songbirds) learn their songs from their father or a neighbour, suboscines do not. Researchers have raised them in acoustic isolation but still found them able to reproduce the precise song of their species despite never having heard it!

7. Every dawn chorus is unique
The sheer variety of individual birds singing in unison means that no two dawn choruses are quite the same. On top of the day by day changes, even bigger ones occur as the years pass. Noise and light pollution have affected the times that our native birds sing, while studies suggest climate change has brought new birds with new melodies to our shores. So get outside and hear this one-off wonder while you can.

For information email helping.ashridge@nationaltrust.org.uk

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The “Thursdays” are out for a walk – First volunteer walk on Wed 10th May. 

The walk starts at 10am at Chipperfield common car park next to the church (+), Landranger 166 coordinates  044016. The walk takes in the Chess valley and returns through Latimer and Flaunden. I had difficulty shortening the route length so it is longer than the 10km more like 13km although there is a great pub The Green Dragon at Flaunden towards the last quarter. There will be a lunch stop in the Chess valley meadow.

 Any problems on the day Keith Shaw can be contacted on 0747 795 2719.

 Future walk dates and leaders are:

June 14th. Phil Parry

July 12th. Peter and Hilary

August 9th. Pam Megaw

Sept 13th. Arthur (London)

Oct. date TBA  Peter and Hilary (Woburn)

…….  for those of you new to this volunteering group – for the last few years the Thursday Conservation Group have met once a month in the summer for a 10km walk , 10.00 – 13.00 with a coffee break about 11:00. Friends and dogs welcome.

Thanks from Arthur Whiting