Miraculous weather The loch was finally down in late June but the first time we could get the team together was August 4. As I was preparing for the trip, I got word that it was raining and we were all hoping it would clear for our Monday session on the island... and not bring the loch level up to cover the ring walls we have been waiting to survey. Well, the forecast gave me some hope .. seeing nothing but rain across the whole week except for a miraculous clearing on Monday! That's pretty much what happened. The rain continued to Monday morning. We left the dock at Inveruglas in a light mist on the LLTTNP Brigadier with a two man crew. After landing and settling onto the island ... and facing the initial wave of midges ... the sun broke through and the day was glorious. Fiona and David(Rat) surveyed the outer ring walls and jetty, while Tom completed the standing buildings field sketches. Historic Scotland extended our second Scheduled Monument Consent to allow coppicing of three smaller trees at the base of the south wall of the tower and this was perfectly completed as well. All in all it was a great day!
From this visit, it was evident that the Phase II preservation work will be on-going. Even though the tower was still in great shape nine months after our October works, the coppiced saplings were pushing up suckers and regenerating. We will need to plan some regular visits to keep the foliage growth in check. We believe the Phase III survey field work is now complete and there is a good bit of office work to bed done on maps, surveys, and reports. More speciic plans and estimates for future work will spring from all this work in the next few months.
Katherine wasn't able to make this trip, but will be driving updates to extend the project pages with some additional photos from the trip in her remaining days before starting at the University of Chicago.
I'll close with a photo of the team ... a group I thoroughly enjoyed working with once again!
Thanks for your on-going support!
Bruce
From this visit, it was evident that the Phase II preservation work will be on-going. Even though the tower was still in great shape nine months after our October works, the coppiced saplings were pushing up suckers and regenerating. We will need to plan some regular visits to keep the foliage growth in check. We believe the Phase III survey field work is now complete and there is a good bit of office work to bed done on maps, surveys, and reports. More speciic plans and estimates for future work will spring from all this work in the next few months.
Katherine wasn't able to make this trip, but will be driving updates to extend the project pages with some additional photos from the trip in her remaining days before starting at the University of Chicago.
I'll close with a photo of the team ... a group I thoroughly enjoyed working with once again!
Thanks for your on-going support!
Bruce
The August 2014 EVPF Team: David, Matt, Fiona, David (Rat), and Tom.
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