Youth Leadership Group 1 day Site Visit June 2022

The Youth Leadership have been back to visit Wild Garsdale Pike in June! Due to it being exam season just a few of them were able to come, but we had a great day on the hill doing a butterfly and bee survey and meeting Cain Scimgeour, from Wild Intrique and Cumbria University, to learn about camera traps. We finished the day with foraged herbal teas and welsh cakes flavoured with honey and elderberries – building on what they’d explored with tree planting and bronze age living during their March visit.

Here’s Vicky’s accont of the day! …..

We all met at the buildings. We then split into 2 groups. Vicky and Isabella went with Ben while Myrtle, Rosie and Charis went with Emma. 

The job today was to do a survey on bees and butterflies. We set off up the hill and came across many species. Isabella unfortunately fell in a ditch while concentrating on her survey work. Ben then also fell into a ditch and got really wet. 

Ben’s invented imagination brought to life new species of insects called the very thin, very long jumping insect. 

When we went further up the hill, Ben then made up another new species called Ben’s Buzzy Bumblebee. This alliteration captured his thoughts. 

On the way back down from the gate,  Ben told Vicky to not run. That is so rude to tell a fell runner to not run downhill.  

When we reached the bottom, Ben started chomping away on his squares (which are crisps) and then exclaimed Why Always Me?

Isabella and Vicky talked formally about future plans for the site. 

We had lunch as a group and Myrtle and Vicky started running around energetically.  We then set 2 mammal traps which we really difficult to set properly. 

After lunch we had a sit spot which was very peaceful. Rosie, Chris and Myrtle all fell asleep while Vicky and Isabella listened to sounds in the area. Emma thought and started to plan for the August residential. Ben thought about what was below the ground.  Like duh obviously soil. 

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We then waited for Cain to come to talk to us about camera traps and told a story about how traps developed. It was very interesting to know actually how they developed. He then showed us how to set up the cameras in a dramatic slow process. Vicky named hers VickyW2. We all went out to set them in different places. Let’s hope we catch something on them. Kane gave us some ideas on VR and the group discussed positives but also negatives about them. Positives were it gives people opportunities and it gives a 360 view of the area with sound. However, the negatives included it wasn’t as good as in person and not good quality view at all times. 

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Sammy then arrived to discuss the survey work. She talked about lots of things including the difference between butterflies and moths. 

After Sammy’s talk, the group had herbal tea and Welsh cakes. The different flavoured teas included hawthorn, silver birch, Linden Flowers and rose petals. Each brought different advantages to the body such as digestion help, sleep help and mods riser. 

Before we left, Ben got Vicky, Myrtle and Isabella to play the game go find it. This game involved participants photographing things that included characteristics named on the cars. It was very fun and a definite reccomendation to play again. 

What a day! So much has happened but fun has been had! Bye for now Garsdale!  See you in August!