My first Canal Camp:
A Diary
by Lou Kellett
Saturday
Caught the train to
the Canal Camp... only tripped up 3 people with by bed roll,
rucksack and hard hat! I
was met by a man in a red WRG T shirt with a matching van that he
kept calling JFH. I was
relived to meet more people - and was a bit bemused about the
village hall where we were
staying. Some of us cooked a huge meal for everyone, while
others sorted out the kit we’ll be using this week.
25 people don’t half need a lot of stuff!
Sunday
We
finished last night with a Safety Talk, and an explanation about
what we’re going to be doing. A
lighter note followed with a drink in the local pub.
Woken this morning by the camp leader with a cup of tea,
then we had a fried breakfast. By
the time we were driven to the site in LRY, I had figured out the
van names. Spent the
day preparing to ‘backfill’ a section of wall, then back to
the hall. My turn to help
wash up, then we went to the cinema.
Monday
There’s
a wide mix of people here, from people doing the Duke of Edinburgh
Award to pensioners! Today
we’ve been mixing and pouring concrete behind the wall, another
team is laying more bricks on the other side of what’s going to
be the canal. Back at the
hall, there aren’t any showers, so we go to the swimming pool to
get clean!
Wednesday
Starting
to feel like I belong here! All
my stuff seems to be muddy, I’m tired, and I seem to have lost a
day, but I haven’t had so much fun in ages.
Our wall is beginning to take shape, and I feel really
chuffed that its partly mine. I
was on the rota to cook tea tonight - mixing custard makes a
change from mixing concrete! We
spent the evening on a boat trip. It was great to see a finished
bit of canal restoration - maybe in a few years I’ll be able to
sail on the bit I helped to build.
Thursday
Today
I got to learn to drive the ‘Case’, it’s a small piece of
plant equipment that steers by skidding round, and it feels
halfway between really useful and a roller coaster ride.
I filled a dumper truck with stone, didn’t spill much,
its surprisingly easy to get the hang of.
Got a few funny looks from passers by, they must not be
used to seeing girls on a construction site!
Friday
Well,
today is our last proper day on site, the wall is going really
well, ready for another camp to continue it next week.
We’re having a big barbecue tonight, and some of the ‘WRG
regulars’ are turning up, I’ll be interested to see what kind
of people do this regularly...
Saturday
I
can’t believe a week has passed this quickly.
After a much needed lie in this morning, we’re putting
the kit back into the trailer we took it out of this time last
Saturday. In the week we’ve built and back-filled a far longer
stretch of wall than I believed possible - especially given that
this sort of thing is new for most of us.
I’m knackered, but I’ve had a great time, learnt to
drive a skid steer loader, and I’ve made some great new mates.
We’ve arranged to meet up at the re-union in Autumn, and
I’m already looking forward to more fun in the mud!
