Wed 14th Dec 2016 - Shide Chalk Pit, Newport. GG # 665.

Mark's Photographs.

The mist that greeted us on arrival.

Hart's-tongue fern.

Oh so busy….!

"Disposing" of the cut material

All hard at work.

Perhaps part of the old boiler,

from when this was a working quarry?

The area we cleared.

And so to the final GG Blog for 2016…! It has become something of a tradition that the final GG session of the year is held at at Shide Chalk Pit - with the Christmas celebrations, al fresco, immediately afterwards. Nick the ranger (no….not Old Nick…lol) had us cutting back the shrubs and undergrowth that surrounds the stream, to the northern edge of the pit, then drag it all to a huge bonfire for disposal. Although there was a rather cool, low lying, mist when we arrived - the sun soon climbed above the trees and it was a wonderfully bright day. The noonday temperature was up around 12C, amazing for mid-December..! Initially, the lack of a breeze gave Nick bit of a problem with getting the fire alight but he persisted and it was soon roaring away. Having worked up a real appetite, it was time to tuck into all the wonderful "goodies" that was assembled on the tables. Thank you to everyone who brought along the tasty treats and a special "thank you" to Gwen and Jeff for supplying all the piping hot jacket potatoes.

Many thanks to Mark for taking the photographs this week.

With this being the 10th year of the GG Blog, I thought you might want to have a quick look back to the first blog we did for the Xmas bash in 2006. Click on this link for a trip back in time..
Wed 13th Dec 2006 - Shide Quarry

So, that's about it for 2016 except to wish you all a Very….

and we look forward to seeing everyone next year. Enjoy the holidays!