We managed to finish off the section of wall that we have been working on in the orchard – all, but the coping stones anyway. The coping stones are the stones that are placed vertically on top of the wall. Main problem is that we seem to be short of coping stones. As soon as we find some (there are plenty around on site, but there are just not where you would expect to find them), it is a 20 min job to finish this section of wall.
Jo helped out on and off over the weekend and it is quicker with two – even if it is for someone else to fill buckets and fill in the centre of the wall with smaller stones (called “hearting”). Even so, this section – which is 16.5m – has taken us 15 working days to complete. There is a lot of work once the wall is stripped down, the foundations dug and then the wall rebuilt. There is still a lot of wall to rebuild.
Still, now that we have an increasing length of wall completed, you get a real feel for what it is going to look like when finished.
Wall just waiting for the coping stones – the last course is on and level. Zep loves to lie in his bed and watch others working!
Ready for the coping stones.
The last row is put on absolutely level just before the coping stones go on. It is absolutely critical that this course is level.