TODMORDEN - Greenhurst Hey Clough

 A team of four (David, Jan, Kasher and RJ) returned to Greenhurst Hey Clough to install a bridge over the clough. We had been told that there was initially a stone bridge here but it was washed away in the 'Boxing Day' floods. We have now installed a wooden bridge and hope that this is raised sufficiently to allow it to weather "normal" winter floods . . . we shall see!

The timbers had been carried across the fields yesterday to within one field of the worksite. Many thanks to the residents of West Hey Head Farm for helping with this. With the timber nearly on site, it did not take too long (or too many trips) to get all timber and tools down to the clough.

The stringers, the bearers, the kickboards and cross-treads etc had been prepared by the CROWS team in the depot. This made life so much easier for the team installing the bridge. Thank you!

The bridge went in without too many hitches. We have anchored the bridge to both banks with long stobs to keep it in place should there be a significant rise of water level. We have also installed central anchoring poles to eliminate 'bridge-bounce' when it is crossed.

The last (and least favourite) job of the day was (as usual) adding staples to the bridge to improve underfoot grip. We will, however, return later in the week to improve access to the bridge on both banks but especially by constructing a couple of steps on the east bank of the clough.

We have now way-marked the route from the worksite to West Hey Head Farm, through a series of pedestrian gates. We have also cleared the path below some recently installed steps although the latter will need a little more in-filling.

Many thanks to Todmorden Town Council for funding today's work. Your continuing support is much appreciated.

We would also like to extend our thanks to the residents of West Hey Head Farm for allowing us to park in their yard (again) and thus make the carrying of timber and tools to the site so much easier.

The blue "pin" marks the location of today's worksite.

RJ starting to get the 4.8 m stringers into position.

Fixing the noggins between the two stringers.

RJ and Jan. Noggins (the strengthening pieces between the 
two stringers) are in position. The supporting stobs
are now being hammered into the clough.

David positioning and attaching the cross-treads.

RJ, Jan and David on the nearly completed bridge.

That's a long bridge that now needs staples . . .

Staples being added . .  note the range of techniques!

RJ moving a large stone off the path. We will
be installing a step here. Note the cut timbers of a 
tree removed from the path a few months ago.

RJ and the completed bridge.

It was a beautiful place to work: dappled light, lots of birds, 
the sound of water in the clough . . . what's not to like?

Hebden Bridge: Snow Booth Steps and Gate (deja-vu)

 Snow Booth; Tricky steps and even trickier gate (part two).

On the road to Old Town, beyond Hebden Bridge Golf Course (sometimes called Mount Skip Golf Course) near to where Height Road becomes Nook Lane there is a building named Snay Booth (sometimes called Snae Booth or Snow Booth). Below this building, a short section of right-of-way Wadsworth 078 heads due North and crosses to the opposite side of a drystone wall/stock fence. (see Map 1)

Today's tasks were:

i)   to install one more step to the short flight that negotiates the drop in levels at the cross-over point where the path switches from one side of a wall to the other.

ii)  To install a pedestrian gate where a continuation of Wadworth 078 meets a wall corner.

1. Wall-corner worksite for task ii)
Marked with the blue 'pin' - some 100 m North (ish) of the extra step.

In idyllic conditions, Ian S and Guy worked on installing the extra step before joining Steve and Frank on the trickier task of embedding gate posts, hanging a pedestrian gate and rationalising side-rails. Lots of difficult digging attended by an audience of placid cows and calves!

i) Steps: 

The situation at the end of CROWS previous session was:

2. Before: three wooden steps up.

Some time later after much 'grunt work' . . . mainly excavating awkward rocks . . . 

3. After a): Four wooden steps up
and a useful grab pole.

(apologies for poor image quality):

4. After b): Four wooden steps up
and a useful grab pole.

Meanwhile . .  .

ii) Pedestrian gate:

Further along the path, Steve and Frank H tackled the following chaotic jumble of wooden fencing and the mystery of the missing gate.

1. Before: Collapsing posts, and broken pallet
acting as side-fencing with original
pedestrian gate missing.

The plan was to install a hinge-post on the right (next to the wall), hang the gate, embed a closure post to the left (nearer the collapsing posts), fix short side rails to bridge any gaps and re-organise the jumble of decaying posts and pallet. Lots to do but all in a confined space!

2. During: Hinge-post hole . .  . 0.9 m depth.
"Keep digging, Steve!"

3. During: Hinge-post in, gate hung
and closure post being packed.

4. Completed job a): Pedestrian gate hung,
spring fitted, closure chain in place and
short side rails fitted.

5. Testing! Testing!

"Caution: Cows with Calves" 'says' the sign. They were interested, in a half-hearted sort of a way, but soon wandered off in search of tastier grass and clover - wise move . .  but it's a pity we missed the photo opportunity - blame the mud-caked hands!

We were pleased with the end result. The gate is secure, well-installed and easy to operate - ideal for a route popular with local fell-running groups.

Today's tasks were funded by general donations to CROWS. Many thanks for your continued support of our voluntary work on rights-of-way.

RYBURN - behind the Bowling Club

Jerry and Jak set out on a beautiful day to cut back this short section of path which runs behind the Bowling Club from Mill Fold Way. It links to a path that goes up to the disused railway line. 

Location of path

The path is slippery and very wet in places because a lot of water runs off the hillside. As well as cutting back, a turnby was created in order to divert some of the water from the path.

Scraping the mud

More mud scraping

Path drying out already!

Still some water but a big improvement

There is a lot of Himalayan balsam at one end of the path (because of the excessive dampness) but it's still a bit too early to tackle that.

This work was funded by donations to CROWS for which many thanks.

TODMORDEN - Windy Harbour

 There were three teams out from Todmorden today.

Two of the teams worked on stiles below Bridestones Farm (see separate blogs) and the third team, comprising of David and Neil Mc, worked on an open access stile on Windy Harbour Lane, which allows access towards Golden Stones. Their task was to add a lower step to the stile (to compensate for ground erosion) and then to build a number of box steps up from the lane to the stile (also to compensate for erosion). 

This stile was rebuilt a few weeks ago when it was agreed that an additional lower step would make the stile easier to use, especially from the field side. Accessing the stile from the roadside up a slippery bank was difficult, more so in wet conditions . . . . not something we had to worry about today. 

The box steps have been lined with a suitable geotextile which has been pinned in place. We have infilled these steps with MOT which should pack down to give a firm surface for foot placement.

We will be back (hopefully next week) to install more steps and to top up the MOT in the steps built today.

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

The blue "pin" marks the open access stile on Windy Harbour Lane.

The approach slope which would
benefit from steps.

A third (lower) step was needed here.

Neil Mc: sorting out the short step leg.
("Measure twice, cut once!")

The lowest step in position and the first of the
box steps built.

David cutting the timber for the sides of the 
second box step.

The steps part way through construction and
infilling.

The stile and steps from the field side.

TODMORDEN - Golden Stones & Windy Harbour

Three teams from Todmorden set out on a glorious morning to work in the sunshine on the hillsides near the Bride Stones.

Kasher, Dunstan & Frank H rebuilt a stile into the access land at Golden Stones just below the Bride Stones themselves.  (See the separate blog post on this job).  Neil Mc & David went to Windy Harbour, not far from the Wizard of Whirlaw, to complete work on the new steps and stile into a field.

Meanwhile, Catherine, Gareth & Ian V rebuilt a stile above Springs on the footpath (Todmorden 045) that heads past Golden Stones up to Bridestones Farm, and installed a new waymark post at a path junction near the farm. 

The first walker (and dog) arrived to use the second stile at the very moment that the last nail was being banged in! We nearly missed a photo opportunity!

Thanks to the lovely people at Bridestones Farm for allowing us to park in their grounds and shorten our carrying distance.  Thanks also to Todmorden Wind Farm which funded today’s work via CFFC (Community Foundation for Calderdale).

Ian ignores the glorious views and starts the dismantling work

Extracting old nails - an important safety job

The spirit level comes out of the tool bag

The first user arrives!

The finished article

New marker post further up the hillside