It takes a desk bound worker to fully appreciate the dignity of labour, those fortunate enough to dig ditches or lift boulders on a daily basis are usually more concerned with avoiding a soaking or preventing a strained back; a spell in a warm office would no doubt be of benefit. After a week cooped up indoors I needed very little encouragement to pull on the boots and volunteer for a job that involved long walks in the high Mournes, especially on a day blessed with rare winter sunshine. The litter lift organised by the Mourne Heritage Trust may not sound very appealing but my efforts were amply rewarded standing on top of Slieve Lough Shannagh as ravens circled overhead and the water glistened far below. The smug, superior frame of mind I experienced lifting the rubbish carelessly cast aside by others would quickly evaporate if I had to do this every day, perhaps in less pleasing surroundings; but a change is a good as a rest, better infact. The upper reaches of the Mournes are relatively litter free, problem areas tend to be close to the main roads and on tracks radiating from the car parks; but the feelings of elation on reaching a summit is somewhat diminished by the presence of frozen tea bags and discarded orange peels that take forever to rot at this height; everything else seems to get blown off and collects in the mountain streams. Further down the despoiled streams attract additional litter and encourage day trippers to add to the problem. Lifting rubbish may not be a skill you want to hone but the MTH volunteer programme offers a range of opportunities that include planting hedges, shrub clearance and building stone walls. Back indoors my legs are a bit stiffer, the Mournes are a bit cleaner and I'm sure there's a knighthood in the post