Wire braiding

It's another long drive back but given the early start it's only just lunch. It's always an odd feeling to do so much and then realise the day has a long way to go. We settle down for a huge buffet and have about an hour to relax before we start some real work.

In groups of  four one person is assigned the braider and the other three are given very long lengths of recycled fence wire. The wire is very tough and frequently tangled with smaller pieces that tie it together. A hand in the wrong place and the wire will cut. We wear gloves but still our arms are bare.

It feels much warmer now but difficult to tell if it's the sun or the work. Karl finds a speaker and we play some music to pass the time. It's dull work but also something new. Importantly though it's very clearly conservation work. We're recycling fence wire. It takes about an hour or so to complete one length (about thirty metres) and to produce one coil of triple braided wire.