BREARLEY Mythomroyd

 Jerry and Stella returned to Brearley to put the finishing touches to the steps leading up from the A646 onto the footpath to Lower Ewood, and to the new stile we have built a little higher up the path. Four of us have spent a day working on this job in recent weeks.  Our first task today was to put in the final two steps in the flight Frank H and Ian S  built 3 weeks ago and to give all the steps a good finish with aggregate.

It's a nice path, with a view back over the river and up the valley. 
It could be the start of  good walk up to Foster Clough and Midgley Moor

Smart steps - no more muddy scrambling

Then we moved up to the stile, tensioned the stock fence (which is a tricky job with hand tools), braced both the upright posts for extra strength and stability, and added waymarks.

New stile, with dog gate

Job done we thought....until we took a closer look at the stile by the road below the new steps.  Yes, rotting and getting wobbly.  Ah well, another job for another day.

Rot.....

...rot...

...and more rot!

This work has been funded by Calderdale Highways department, whom we thank.

WADSWORTH

 Moorfield, Old Town - Path Survey

Ginny and Paul were out this morning surveying a path in Old Town leading up from Paddock to Rock Edge by Moorfield. Water is seeping out onto the pathway from what appears to be a new spring bubbling out from the banking. This is now flowing down the pathway before being channelled to one side but causing muddy patches further down where the banking flattens out.

This new outlet needs investigating further with the likely outcome of a new watercourse to divert the water away from the path.

Pathway highlighted in red

In addition the path further down needs some cosmetic work -  cutting back , widening in places and de-mulching.

Path is now a stream!

 And

Ginny investigating the hole!

Job sheet completed and hopefully we will return to do the work by the end of March.

Rough Hey Woods - Day 17 - the final day!

So the final day of work in Rough Hey Woods is here . . . and what a lovely Spring day. 

Without the kind and generous donation from the Russell family, none of the 17 days we have worked on this project would have been possible. A huge thank you, therefore, to them, not just from CROWS but also on behalf of all walkers who have used or will use the paths in this wonderful wood.

Today's task for Jak, Andy, Rich, Graham and Angus, was to install a flight of steps on a slippery banking on the path that leads from Stansfield Mill Lane, across a couple of fields (where there was a water crossing to improve) and then back into Butterworth End Woods. 

With no suitable vehicle access, the first job was to carry the tools and materials some 700 m up the Lane and along the top of the woods to the worksite . . . a tough slog!

Locations of today's worksites circled in blue.

The 'treacherous when wet' banking that needs steps!

Once we had got our breath back, Jak, Andy and Angus started cutting back the ever-invasive holly and working out the positions for the steps. The worst sections were at the start of the slope and where it exited into the field, so we we able to work in two teams.

Meanwhile, Graham and Richard tackled the stream crossing a couple of fields away. Today it was possible to cross this stream as water flow was low but, after heavy rain, it is a more precarious venture over a number of small flat stones. 

The plan was to place a single, large oblong stone on one edge of the stream and a couple of large flat stones on the other. This created a channel for unobstructed water flow whilst providing a stable stepping-over point. After a bit of grunting and heaving the stones were in place - a great job done!

  

 

'Stepping stones' now in place, looking from both path directions.

Oblong stone in place, protecting the field edge and giving a firm step-over point.

Meanwhile back at the slippery bank, things were starting to take shape, although we managed a 'breather' when a couple of walkers stopped for a chat and an update about CROWS and what we do.

It soon became apparent that we would need more material to complete the job. Originally we had an estimate of 8 steps, but felt that couple more at the bottom and the top would help. Fortunately, Jak volunteered to make the journey back to the depot to collect the additional items.

Upper section of flight taking shape.

View from the lower section.

Jak backfilling the steps on the upper section.

Angus securing a side panel to the top step to reduce erosion down the slope.

Always nice to talk with walkers about what we do.

The view from the exit of the woods towards the slope and the new steps

So ends the work in Rough Hey Woods . . . unless we need to return to do some cutting back and/or attend to issues identified by footpath users! 

Again, a big thank you to the Russell family for their generosity which made this work possible. We hope that more people will enjoy these woods and the network of paths as much as the CROWS volunteers have enjoyed working here.

Returning home down Stansfield Lane . . . at least it was all downhill!

 

NEW WORK Blackshaw Head

Mo and Ginny went to survey routes in Blackshaw Head that had been marked on the Cams map as having problems.  As the Cams survey had been done several years ago and at a different season some of the problems had been resolved and others had appeared, but on this route most of them were still very apparent.  We started at Badger Lane where a stile was almost impossible to cross and needs technical advice about the best way to approach repairs.

                        Moving on, there is a footpath which is very difficult to use at present.

           

And another one which will be a lovely walk when it has been levelled and the brambles cut back.

Finally back to impossible stiles.  A series of job sheets are on their way!

TODMORDEN - Various

 There were three teams out from Todmorden today.

Team 1: David and Neil Mc worked on two stiles (on Tod 071) near Bearnshaw Tower above Cornholme.

Team 2: Ken and Mick were at Guide Quarry at the junction of Tower Causeway and Flower Scar Road to increase the height of the tree enclosures built by CROWS a number of years ago, and to plant a replacement tree.

Team 3: Andrew, Catherine and Kasher sorted out a short flight of steps and repositioned a fingerpost on the path (Todmorden 015) near Hall Stones Green Farm.

Many thanks to the landowner of Bearnshaw Tower who allowed Team 1 to park their vehicle in his yard, and thus nearer to the worksite.

Today's work has been funded by individual donations to CROWS. Many thanks to everyone who contributes to keeping our rights of way open and walkable.

Stile improvements near Bearnshaw Tower.

Enhancing tree enclosures near Guide Quarry.

Sorting out steps near Hall Stones Green Farm.

Team 1:

An extremely narrow stile was in desperate need of repair. 

Before: View from downslope side:
A precariously balanced treadboard!

Both uprights were rotten, the cross-rails needed re-aligning and the precariously balanced treadboard was extremely slippery. We have replaced the uprights, the cross-rails and the treadboard. Wall constraints meant the stile is still narrow . . . but easier and safer to use.

Before: View from upslope side:
A stile in need of some TLC!

David digging the hole for the second new upright.

Neil dealing with the treadboard and cross-rails.

End result: View from upslope side.

Team 2:

Increasing the height of the netting slightly should 
allow the trees to avoid being eaten by livestock.

The holly tree in its enclosure.

Increasing the height of the enclosure so that the
holly can grow without being part of the bovine diet!

Team 3:

Well-hidden steps and a slightly jaunty (and rotten!) fingerpost.

Andrew and Catherine clearing the well-hidden steps.

Replacement of the steps underway.

Andrew consolidating the replaced steps.

Andrew and Kasher providing the final
touches for the new steps.

The new steps and re-positioned fingerpost.