WALSDEN: Cranberry Dam area - Stile 1 continued and adventures with a boardwalk

 Ramsden Farm area: Border country for Stile 1 and a boardwalk by Stile 2

Ian S, David and Frank H continued the work on stiles that lead off the rough track that goes from Ramsden Lane towards Horse Pastures. The two main tasks for the day were:

i)  to complete the re-build of Stile 1 which was started last week.

ii) to repair the boardwalk (about 100 m south of Stile 1) that crosses a shallow ditch to access Stile 2.

1. Location: Stile 1 is marked with a blue 'pin'. Stile 2 is 100 m to the south.
The black line marks the Calderdale boundary.

Today's work was funded by Todmorden Wind Farm Through CFFC (Community Foundation For Calderdale). Many thanks.

The detail:

i) Stile 1: the work continues . . .

As a reminder  . . .

2. Original stile: suffers from collapsed steps and
side-uprights that are rotten at ground level.

3. Last week: End of session.

4. Work progresses: lower step legs now in
place and treadboard being positioned.

5. End product. A two-step stile with an impressive
electrical power supply in the background.

We were pleased with the end result. The two-step stile has four cross-rails and the step legs have been cross-braced (only just visible in picture). The approach areas have been landscaped and the stockfence was secured with an extra post (out of picture)) before re-tensioning. The stile is sturdy, safe, easily negotiated and aesthetically pleasing.

ii) Stile 2: The boardwalk.

This is the state of the stile and boardwalk before work began . . .

6. A rickety overgrown arrangement!

On close inspection the boardwalk was found to have rotten cross-treads, a missing anchoring stob, no kickboard, and stringers that were inadequately fixed to the bearers. The stringers themselves, however, were in decent condition.

The stile and its cross-rails, although somewhat ramshackle, seemed at first glance to be in a reasonable state . . . until the side-uprights were tested at ground level. Mmm! Mainly rotten mush! 

The step legs were sound but the treadboards will need replacing.

The plan for today was to secure the boardwalk and replace all the cross-treads . . .

7. Work begins: Out with the old.

8. Work progresses: Cross-treads removed but
will the stringers take a heavy load? . . . 

 

9. . . . Stress test: 85 kg - no problem!

10. End of session: In with the new -
walkway, kickboard and edge trim.

To complete what had been a very satisfying day, we measured-up for a replacement stile and then walked over to near Cranberry Dam to measure-up for a boardwalk to bridge the swampy gap between two existing boardwalks. Busy days ahead!

Hardcastle Crags

 Accompanied by Connie, who is writing an article about CROWS, and a "munching" of marauding midges (well, we weren't far from Midgehole) Andy, Jerry, Nick, Stella and Steve tackled some routine maintenance on this delightful old route. It runs uphill from the top National Trust car park at Hardcastle Crags, between old walls and then through the woods on causey stones.  Eventually it comes out above the woods and goes up to Willow Gate, near Shackleton.

Like most of the paths through the Crags it is well-used. Between the walls it had become quite overgrown (lots of brambles and fat blackberries!)  and the causey stones were starting to disappear under leaf mould, which meant people have started walking off the path and eroding the ground to the side.

So, to clarify route, Jerry and Steve took the brush-cutters to the overgrowth and the rest of us cleared and swept the causey stones. Both satisfying jobs which opened up the path for easier walking.

The path we were working on, in red.

Disappearing causey stones

Brushing off after clearing

Lovely eh?

ITG?  A builder of the path or a later graffiti artist?

The old route through the woods 

Overgrown 

Jerry in action

Clearer for walking

After lunch, Andy, Jerry and Steve went on the Gibson Mill to replace a damaged step. Stella and Nick took tools back to the depot for cleaning and putting away.

Step here

Damaged....

.....dug out....

.....replaced

Today's work was funded by individual donations to CROWS.  Thank you for being so generous..

RIPPONDEN, QUAKER LANE

Jerry, Linda, Peat (new recruit) and Ginny worked on a very overgrown Quaker Lane above the old railway track to Rishworth.  Unfortunately, the Himalayan Balsam was already shedding its seeds for next year, but Jerry and the brushcutter did a good job of clearing this year's crop and making this lovely bridleway accessible again.

Thank you to Ripponden Parish Council for funding the work

Enticing beginning to the path

But plenty of overhanging branches

And overlapping balsam

The holly also needed a 'trim'!

But it is now much easier to use

TODMORDEN - Green’s Clough part 2

Andrew & Gareth returned to Green’s Clough, high above Portsmouth and on the historic Yorkshire-Lancashire border, to complete the work started two weeks previously; repairing, installing and clearing steps and improving the stepping stones across two streams.

Fortunately the timber we’d hidden after session 1 (to save our carrying it the long, long way back to the road) was still there.  The first job involved rebuilding a step which had crumbled away into the clough.  Following that, we constructed two new steps to help walkers start the climb out of the clough into Lancashire and (having found the ground far too stony to insert supporting stobs for wooden steps) installed three stone steps on the Yorkshire side of the stream.

Given the remote location, we were delighted to encounter a happy walker who made first use of the new steps and, on the way back to Cornholme, a family enjoying the hillside views.

Today’s work was funded by Todmorden Town Council. Thanks as always.

Deteriorating structure - even dodgier than it looks!

Rebuild in progress

End result - a safer step and new stepping stones too

Another step. Possibly in Lancashire!

Access to Lancashire now considerably improved

And some new stone steps up into Calderdale

TODMORDEN - Scaitcliffe, Greens Clough and Cranberry Dam

 There were three teams out from Todmorden today:

Team 1: Andrew and Gareth returned to Greens Clough on Tod 068 to improve the steps and the crossing of the clough, and to install revetment. (See separate blog). Other than removing surplus timbers, this should be our last session here.

Team 2: Neil Mc and Kasher worked in Scaitcliffe Wood, on Tod 082, to install some revetment above a very steep slope and to widen the footpath. There is still much work to be done on this path but for the next work party we will be bringing tools and timber down from Flailcroft to the worksite - a much easier carry for the team.

Tem 3: Mick and Ken were working near Cranberry Dam on Tod 138 to improve a stile by constructing a third step on the downslope side. They also, along the TCW, cleared the brambles and soft rush that engulfed another stile and boardwalk which are scheduled for repair in the coming weeks.

Walkers were seen on two of the three paths worked on today. It is good to see people out and about even in this heat!

Today's work was funded by Todmorden Town Council (for Teams 1 and 2) and by Todmorden Wind Farm, through the Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC) for Team 3.

Team 1:

Team 1 were working near Greens Clough, on the county boundary.

Team 2:

The steep path through Scaitcliffe Wood.

It's hard to convey how narrow
and precipitous the path is.

Neil Mc and the first length of revetment being prepared.

The first revetment in place and the path being created.

Both sections of revetment in place. The path
is now wider . . . and safer.

Only another 20+ steps to be checked -
most will need replacing!

Team 3:

Stile improvements near Cranberry Dam.

The original stile built a few years ago by CROWS.

Work in progress.

The completed stile improvements.