The wood for the freeze...

CAMPSITE warden Darren Gwynne and estate worker Mark Latter are spending the winter working as the island's resident lumberjacks.

With coal becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, it is important to find more eco-friendly ways to provide fuel. In a place like Herm, we make a point of being as self-sufficient as possible and using the natural materials we have around us.

A big part of the work the outdoor team has been doing has been taking the tops off sycamore and pine trees. This is known as pollarding and encourages the branches to grow back quickly, thus providing a renewable source of fuel. The wood has been chopped up to make firewood, so less coal can be used island-wide.

The wood will be available to self-catering guests on chilly winter days and will provide the Mermaid Tavern with scented kindling for its large fire.

One big project coming up in future weeks is the removal of an immense pine tree that blew down in May Queen Woods. Once the tree is cleared, the area will be replanted.

The team are proficient and have many tools for a difficult job like this, including chainsaws, axes, a log splitter and a chipper-shredder.

This particular tree alone should provide firewood to the island for a large part of the winter.

The boys estimate that they have cut several tons of firewood over the past couple of months.

In addition, a lot of time has been put into clearing the views from The Drive, from the woodland walk and from the self-catering cottages.

*

Herm's annual Christmas shopping trips are always popular with local residents and visitors to Guernsey.

This year's have been very busy. The weather is being kinder than it has been in the past and hundreds of people have so far taken advantage of the free Trident boats to make the day trip.

It is a lovely start to the festive season to browse the gift shops for presents and stocking fillers, enjoy lunch and a Christmas drink at the Mermaid Tavern by the open fire and finish off with a stroll around the island in the quiet, crisp, cold air.