TODMORDEN -Various

 The select team out from Todmorden today (aka Gareth and Kasher) tackled a variety of outstanding jobs:

1    Reinstating the recently repaired and treated Langfield Common sign at the end of Tod 179, near to London Road.

2    Measuring up a stile at the end of Tod 036. This stile will need to be repaired or replaced in the near future.

3    Re-erecting the fingerpost at the end of Tod 179.

4    Re-erecting the fingerpost at the end of Tod 102 near Melling Clough.

Today's work has been funded by the Upper Stoodley Residents' Association and by individual members of the  public. Many thanks for your support which helps to keep Upper Calder Valley footpaths and bridleways open and in good repair.

Fingerpost repairs along the Bacup Road near Melling Clough.

Tasks 1-3 completed in this area.

Sign original location (London Road) under
the watchful eye of Stoodley Pike!

Gareth digging holes for the posts of the Langfield Common sign.

Attaching the Langfield Common sign to the posts.

Refurbished sign now in place. The request is clear! 

Replacing the fingerpost at the end of Tod 179.

Gareth checking fingerpost alignment at the
end of Tod 102 towards Melling Clough.

RIPPONDEN - bridleway at Soyland

Jak, Trish and Rich had the task of clearing encroaching vegetation (mainly trees and brambles) so that the bridleway (see map) would be open for horses. This work was funded by Calderdale Highways.

 

 The bottom of the path had some low, overhanging cypress trees making it difficult for horse riders. 

There were several saplings that were narrowing the path - these were all pruned back. 

Difficult to get a horse through this!

We then did a hard cut-back of some spreading brambles and the final job was to replace the erroneous  footpath waymark with a bridleway waymark. 

We had our first path users - they had never been down the path before! 

Then it was back to Millfold for lunch and to deal with a fallen tree across the path to Millfold Playground. 

The final job was to walk down the riverside path to monitor its condition following recent bad weather. We have identified several issues needing improvement on this popular path.

HEPTONSTALL - above and below Edge Lane, Colden

 Billie and Rich dealt with a reported problem with waymarking on Heptonstall Moor, then went down towards the network of paths below Halsteads to look at a reported dodgy stile and some missing waymarking.Today's work was funded by donations from our supporters, many thanks.

The path from the edge of of the moor had been waymarked earlier, but the route across the moor was pretty impossible to follow without the use of GPS. 

We put in four low yellow topped posts so you can always see where the path goes. 

If you look carefully in the photo you might see three posts (and two CROWS volunteers!

Then down to Halsteads to do some waymarking (we ran out of stock so will need to go back to finish off). The reported stile does need some fettling, so it is now on our list of jobs to do. People reporting problems is so helpful to us, many thanks to everyone that has taken the time to send us the details. https://crows-coop.co.uk/report-a-problem/

TODMORDEN - Todmorden Moor - Session 4

There have been better days to work on an exposed moor above Todmorden! . . . .  However five hardy (and, by the end of the session, rather wet) individuals: Mick, RJ, Gareth, Catherine and Kasher continued to improve the boardwalks crossing Todmorden Moor on Tod 073 and Tod 077. 

One new boardwalk was built (the 4th new one) and three other boardwalks repaired and re-positioned. All the old boardwalks had to have new bearers attached; old rotten cross-treads replaced; new kickboards added and, finally, the cross-treads on the boardwalks were 'decorated' with staples! The staples should make the boardwalks less slippery but it's strange how the staplers all have different techniques and designs . . . . see if you can spot these when you next pass this way!

It was great to see people using the boardwalks today. We hope these new and improved structures will make your journeys across the moor safer . . . and drier!

We will need one more session on the moor to finish off this task and to de-nail and remove all of the old timbers.

Many thanks to Reaps Moss Wind Farm who have funded the replacement of these boardwalks.

Todmorden Moor and the footpaths off Tower Causeway.

Catherine, Mick and Gareth removing an old,
broken boardwalk.

RJ with one of the boardwalks in the process of
being restored and re-positioned.

Gareth was introduced to the delights of stapling
into the cross-treads on boardwalks.

Mick and Gareth: the new boardwalk in place
but with more anchoring stobs yet to be added.

Gareth and Catherine on stapling duty.

Mick, removing nails from the old timbers.

Towards the end of the session: the rain is coming down
and the visibility has reduced . . . . can we go home?

BLACKSHAW HEAD - Old Shaw Lane

Following a request from a local horse rider, Jan and Rich went to cut out overhanging branches that were making a bridleway difficult to use. Given all the extra traffic in the area, we thought we better to sort it quickly and, happily, chose a lovely cold blue-sky afternoon. Thanks to Blackshaw Parish Council for supporting this work. 

Difficult to see the problem . . . unless you are on top of a horse!

Top layer all cut out, Jan sorting some of the side-growth