With the continuing wet and windy weather its a good job a sawmill has a roof. This oak log is one of a number that were cut during early January into new roof timbers to refurbish the barn at the Ennerdale YHA. Felled in Miterdale (just south of Wasdale) the logs were taken to the sawmill at Calderbridge and sawn into the correct sizes by Anthony and Wayne. Next a local builder Brown and Armstrong of Maryport will take the beams and joint them together before finally constructing a new roof onsite at Gillerthwaite.

Cutting the timber is a slow and precise skill taking around 40 minutes to but a log like the one above into a roof beam. The blade on the bandsaw needs changing after only 4 logs as oak is such a hard timber.