Ryburn - Stile replacement off Birks Lane.

A wet and windy Friday saw Eleanor, Linda, Jerry and Angus head up to a footpath leading off Birks Lane above Mill Bank, where it was considerably blustery . . . and very wet! 

Spirits undampened (unlike our clothing) we unloaded tools and materials and started work clearing the entrance to the path off the lane. The jobs were to make the entrance to the path more accessible, replace the stile and do further cutting back at the start of a second path near Bowood Farm. We are grateful to Ripponden Parish Council whose funding allowed this work to be done. Thank you.

The blue circles show today's work locations.

Battling the strong wind and scything rain, Eleanor and Linda set about cutting back the overgrowth at the edge of the lane, whilst Jerry and Angus started to dismantle the old stile and connecting fence. The wind made keeping the cut material under control a challenge and as Jerry and Angus started digging holes for the new posts, the dry earth was whipped up by the wind so they were soon cover in a thin film of mud.

Two views of the stile to be replaced. The images don't really show how wet and windy it was.

Starting work to clear the entrance to the path and to improve sightlines.

Linda in full "step clearing" mode.

Unfortunately, once cleared, the lower section of steps was found to be non-existent!

Once most of the old stile timbers had been removed, we dug out the rotten bases of the posts and set about measuring up the available space in order to fit a single-step stile and dog gate. With a very old fence strainer concreted into the ground at one side, and a crumbling wall at the other side, it was going to be a tricky fit! 

Fortunately the digging was fairly easy (if a bit dusty) and we soon got the basic stile structure as we wanted.

Jerry, rigged for foul weather, positioning the treadboard supports.

After clearing the vegetation, Eleanor and Linda headed along to Bowood Farm to fit new waymarks and attack a section of footpath overgrown with nettles. The remainder of this path is clear and follows the field wall down to Mill Bank. 

Just as we were finishing, the weather started to clear and the warm breeze that replaced the rain soon dried us out.

Linda checking the stile and the action of the dog-gate.

Angus fitting a CROWS information plaque.

The finished job . . .  now with blue sky and glorious sunshine!

 Despite the weather, this was a successful day but we will need to return and sort out the missing steps that should lead down to the lane. If you are walking this route, take care when exiting onto the lane (especially if it is wet) as the lack of steps makes this section quite slippery.

Wadsworth: Parrock Lane; Tricky stile!

 Parrock Lane: heavy going for a complicated stile

On a day when threatened rain was replaced by blue skies. light clouds, gentle breezes and ideal temperatures Paul and Frank joined by Kris (for the morning) and by Jan (for most of the day) worked at a 'cross-roads' of paths (all described as Wadsworth 028). See map.

Today's work is being funded by the landowner. Many thanks.

1.Worksite location: A stile in a wall corner

The views from the worksite were magnificent:

2. Panorama: Pasture, settlements, redundant mill chimney,
woodlands and distant moors.

The original stile was built over a railed-off wall corner where stone steps gave access through a drystone wall. The stile and rails had seen hard times and looked like this:

3. The old stile: collapsed rails, rotten step-leg,
unstable treadboard and a decayed strainer
post doubling as a rail post.

The sequence of tasks was to:

i) install a post to act as a right-hand support for new cross-rails.

ii) decided on the best position of new step legs and install them.

iii) add treadboards so the higher board was level with one of the stone steps.

iv) fix cross-rails at appropriate heights.

v) install an extra vertical support for the cross-rails and a high-step side grab pole..

vi) landscape and tidy the approaches.

Mmm! Lots to do here . . . and extremely difficult ground conditions. Time to flex muscles and crank up physical efforts to a maximum!

The Detail.

4. Hole for new right-hand post.

This simple task gave immediate problems. Immovable rock limited the depth of the hole so the post had additionally to be secured to the wall with hex-head screw and rawlplug.

5. Quality control?: "What no oats?" 
One of several curious but friendly horses.

6. Decisions! Decisions! Will four
legs and two treadboards fit?

7. Heavy digging.
Problem: Massive stonework just below the surface.
Solution: Batter with bar, stone-chisel & lump hammer

Some time later:

8. Progress: step-legs being positioned.

9. Two legs in place and braced but  . . .
. . . more resistant rock!

10. Cross-rail time: Cutting to length to fit wall batter.

11. Lower cross-rail in place. Awkward
perspective but it is 'spot-on' horizontal.

12. End result: Two-step, three-rail stile with grab pole. (Note extensive decay in right-hand
strainer post which originally doubled as the stile side-post!)

13. Testing! Testing!

This was a long and tiring session but perseverance prevailed. The stile is safe, secure and easily negotiated. Minor tweaks can be made if necessary but it has the twin essentials of being horse resistant and pedestrian friendly . . . and there's always the view to admire . . .

14. Panorama: Wonderful view but . .  .
"Is that old mill chimney on the lean?"

More next week once we have recovered!

Path Clearance Back Lane (Eastwood)

 Wednesday 7th. Guy, Ian S, Dave, Duncan and RJ cleared Back Lane. 

Ryburn - Path clearing above Bar Lane.

 October the 5th and it still feels like Summer! Well almost - apart from the drizzle - as the sun did come out . . . but after we'd finished!

Carla, Chloe (new volunteer), Jerry and Angus firstly headed along the A58 to  Cairnwood Drive, at the end of which was the badly overgrown footpath that leads down to Bar Lane. 

This footpath has been visited by CROWS on several occasions but, yet again, despite some work by local householders, it was almost impassable.

Path off Cairnwood Drive is highlighted on the right of the map, the bridleway on the left. 

  

The path as we found it. You can just see Chloe disappearing into the overgrowth!

Carla and Jerry started from the top and Chloe and Angus worked from the bottom. Despite previous annual clearing, brambles, nettles, bindweed, ivy and various other shrubs had taken over. 

After a couple of hours the path reappeared and we were able to remove the majority of the cuttings to expose steps and a cleared thoroughfare.

Path clearance completed, steps cleaned and overhanging branches trimmed.

Chloe brought homemade flapjacks for elevenses - yum!!

Having completed this in good time, we headed to the bridleway which links the A58 with Bar Lane. Work (which is done annually) to cut back the overgrowth started on this bridleway a couple of weeks ago but while it looks to have had use by walkers, there wasn't much evidence of horse riders or mountain bikers taking this route which would help keep the growth under control.

The bridleway cleared and ready to welcome 2-footed, 4-hooved and 2-wheeled users.

Despite the rain at the end of the shift, we managed to get a lot done. The opening up these two routes from the busy A58 to other walks around the dams, along the Riverside path and up towards Scammonden reservoir gives plenty of options for the local community. 

A big thankyou to Ripponden Parish Council for funding this work.

TODMORDEN - Mankinholes Fingerposts

A day for fingerpost aficionados, as Duncan, Gareth & Neil B spent the day erecting or repairing a series of fingerposts around Mankinholes.

We started with a new fingerpost off Woodhouse Road providing directions up the hill towards Mankinholes.  Our second post was a replacement for a rotten fingerpost at the top of the same path on Mankinholes Tops on the way to Cross Lane.  Number 3 was a new “flag” (the correct term for the “finger” of the fingerpost bearing the words Public Footpath or destination of the footpath) for an existing post on the same path just off Cross Lane.  Number 4 was a replacement fingerpost on Upper Shaw Wood Road, replacing a post lost when the adjacent wall was demolished by a careless driver some months before!  This last post sits at the top of an attractive flight of stone steps leading down into Deep Clough which we cleared of vegetation a few weeks ago

Today’s work was funded by Todmorden Town Council.  Thanks as always to all those who support our work.

Neal with his arm down the post hole to the required depth

Post number one

Post number two

Post number three, pointing to the rainbow's end

Duncan & Neil sensibly not stepping back to admire their work

Post number four

The steps & path down into Deep Clough