Above Cornholme: Obadiah Wood

 Kasher, Gareth and RJ spent the morning constructing a new boardwalk, allowing walkers a flat and easy route along a previously slippery stretch of hillside.

On a popular route from Shore New Road through Obadiah Wood towards Shore Chapel, this stretch of path is particularly treacherous to navigate after wet weather.  Many previous visits by CROWS seeking to improve the drainage have failed to solve the problem.  The new boardwalk will be joined later in the week by some steps, a revetment and a second stretch of boardwalk, all of which will be welcomed by the many walkers we met today!  

Today’s work was funded by Active Calderdale.  Many thanks to AC, and we enjoyed meeting Emma who popped along to visit while we were working!

The location for today’s work - Obadiah Wood above Cornholme.

RJ and Kasher survey the site.  Slopier and slippier than it looks!

Digging a flatter section into the hillside allows the frame of the boardwalk to be laid flat.

RJ knocks a “stob” into place to help secure the new boardwalk and stop it slipping from its new location.

Kasher fixes the slats in place.

Gareth (principal photographer) secures the edges as the final stage.

LUDDENDEN - Buttress Lane to Booth Steads

Today, a gang of seven (Ian S, Guy, Steve, Ginny, Jerry, Frank H and Rich) went to clear two public footpaths (yellow on the map) and a new permissive path (blue on the map) between the two. The route had been impassable for several years - a jungle of broom, brambles, holly bushes, tree saplings and nettles all had to be cut back. The route was also waymarked and a stream crossing improved. There is now a lovely through route from Buttress Lane to Booth Stead

Today's work was funded by Calderdale Council Highways. 

The details

1. Clearing the public footpath before it joins the new permissive path

The gap stile was choked with brambles and broom - impossible to get through.. 

Before and after - a dramatic difference!

2. The permissive path

This is a wide grassy track that needed i) an additional waymark post and ii) some cutting back.

i) One of the permissive path waymarks

   

Before: Encroaching growth - dense
holly tangled with brambles!

   

After: Path now visible. Holly etc
cut-back and brashings stacked
tidily to form habitat piles.

3. The top section of the public footpath

We were confronted by an impenetrable 'wall' of broom and brambles.

The first view!

Loppers, shears, hedge cutter and bow saws

 

After two hours, a wide clear path emerged

Beyond the broom was a stretch of woodland that was overgrown with overhanging branches and dead trees over the path. 

Before we started up the chainsaw

 

4. The stream crossing

Not an easy crossing!

 

SLACK - Popples Common

Today we returned to Popples Common to finish clearing the causey stones we were working on last week. A team of Andy, Frank S, Jan, and Neil were digging away the turf, brushing the stones clear, and re-laying some of the stones that were out of position. By the time we finished, the footpath Heptonstall 046 was much improved, though some of the stones are still uneven so walkers will need to take care.

The lower section of the path, unfinished from last week

The lower section cleared

The steps down to the roadside

Jan and Andy peeling the turf off the path

This work was funded by Heptonstall Parish Council. Thanks for your support.

HEPTONSTALL - Three Paths from Drapers Corner

 Jerry, Ginny and Rich went to work on several linked paths in the area:

The path running across the top of the wood (Heptonstall 49) had several precipitous edges and was very narrow in places with encroaching vegetation. The path was widened and cut back.

At the path junction at Western end, the stone steps were cleared and a handrail added at an awkward slope next to a barbed wire fence. 

The final job was to make a start on the clearing of the steps at the top of Heptonstall 51. There's more work to do on this popular path. 

Today's work was funded by Heptonstall Parish Council. Many thanks.

The details

Heptonstall 49

 Cutting back bilberry and tree saplings made the path much wider. At a number of spots, where the drop off the edge was big, we widened the bed of the path. Fortunately, there was no sign of activity from the Wood Ant nests - perhaps hibernation is just stsrting.

A section of widened path

Heptonstall 48

Clearing the steps and stone base of the path

 Covered in leaves and a thick layer of mulch had made these steps quite difficult to use.

Heptonstall 51

A fine set of steps leading down to Midge Hole - we only made a start

We cleared off the first section that was covered in leaves and years of mulch. Most of the steps are in good order, but a further session is needed.  

RYBURN - below Norland Moor and small jobs

The first job of the day saw Lynda and Angus surveying a damaged bridge on a footpath below Lower Butterworth Farm near Norland Moor (see the map below for the exact location). The bridge wasn't so much damaged as rotted-out due to old age and the ditch it crossed was also overgrown - so there's a good day's work to sort everything out. The bridge crosses the ditch at an angle due to the banks on either side making this a somewhat tricky task. Watch this space for details of the completed job.

The bridge to be replaced.

The next task was to reposition a fallen waymark post off Elland Road going into Ripponden. The post had rotted out and was propped up against the wall. Whilst we were there we did some cutting back on the footpath leading up to the old railway line to make the path a more accessible.

Location of the waymark post circled in blue.

Waymark post casually leaning against the wall!

Now firmly at attention with the cleared path behind.

The third job of the day was to reposition a fallen fingerpost at the foot of Brooks Grain Lane where it joins Holme House Lane. The post showing the direction of the bridleway had rotted through at its base and fallen into the undergrowth.

Location of the fingerpost circled in blue.

The fallen fingerpost.

Now proudly standing to attention and pointing in the correct direction.