COLDEN - Pennine Way

On a refreshingly cooler and mostly cloudy day, Angus, Ginny, Ian S. and Jan met at Goose Hey Farm in Colden to walk down to a heavily overgrown stretch of steps on the Pennine Way above Hebble Hole.

Thankfully, local residents, Kerry and Tac, assisted us by generously allowing us to transfer our tools and materials to their Mitsubishi pick-up (now affectionately known as the Crowmobile) and driving down the steep field to our work site.  Even more generously, they allowed us to keep the Crowmobile with us all day and use it later to take everything back to our vehicles (driving it ourselves and to even hitching a ride on the tailgate back up the field!)

At this time of year, the Pennine Way steps are heavily overgrown and needed some serious cutting back.  In addition, several steps were damaged or missing and needed to be replaced.  

 

We started by clearing our way through the jungle with the strimmer, the hedgecutter, the shears, the azad and the spade.

We slowly but steadily made progress.

We had supplies of home made Victoria Sponge and Lemon Meringues delivered from Shaw Bottom Farm and a visit from Marley the dog on cake supervision duties.

Altogether, we cut back, cleared or repaired 55 steps during the day - a very good day's work.

We need to return to finish the remaining steps at the top of the flight and to fill the steps with aggregate where necessary.

Thank you to the landowners for permission to use their field and to park on their property, the local residents for the Crowmobile, the providers of the cakes and to Natural England for funding this work. 

BLACKSHAW HEAD: Marker posts and a dog-gate

 Between Lower Strines Farm and Old Shaw Lane (track).

On a warm day cooled deceptively by a breeze, Neil Diment and Frank H worked on waymarking a bridleway (Blackshaw 022) and a footpath (Blackshaw 015) before installing a dog-gate where the right-of-way (Blackshaw 015) from Lower Strines Farm meets Brown Hill Lane.

1. Worksites: Blue dot a bridleway. Yellow dots footpath and Red dot dog-gate.

The detail.

The first task (blue dot) was to re-embed the bridleway markerpost where the track (Old Shaw Lane) leaves the road (Old Shaw Lane). Mmm! Confused yet? See the map for clarification.

Here's the end result:

2. Bridleway: Old markerpost unearthed and re-embedded.

The second task was to waymark the right-of-way that goes from Lower Strines Farm towards the 'elbow' at New Shaw Lane (see map). The defined route follows the wall going south (ish) from the farm before making a sharp direction change to the south-west to meet New Shaw Lane. We hope the waymarking will keep walkers on the legal route and discourage them from wandering over grazing land. A waymark post (first yellow dot) was installed at the 'direction change' point and waymark discs (second yellow dot) added to the next gate to define the route.

3. Markerpost: Discs being nailed in place.

The final but more complicated task was to add a 'lift-type' dog-gate (red dot) to the stile where the right-of-way meets Brown Hill Lane/New Shaw Lane.

4. Dog-gate lift installed. Minor support
timber for cut rails being fixed in place. 

5. End result: Lift-type dog-gate added to the stile
constructed two weeks ago . . . but does it work?

6. End result. . . . the stile is good but Neil declined to try 
and get through the dog-gate gap. Wise move!

We were pleased with the end results. Footpath and bridleway directions have been clarified and the dog-gate avoids dogwalkers having to use the awkward to open (and occasionally padlocked) field gate.

Today's work was funded by Blackshaw Head Parish Council. Many thanks for your support.

Ryburn - Balsam bashing !!

With the weather considerably cooler than last week, Jak, Jerry and Angus went to finish the work started last Friday on the footpath off Ripponden Old Bank. This was mostly cutting back outcrops of Himalayan Balsam and nettles, along with trimming back brambles and stray branches. Having completed this work, we moved to clear the 'old favourite' that is Back Lane, above the Alma Inn at Cottonstones. Both these jobs have been funded through donations to CROWS. Many thanks to those who kindly donated.

Locations of today's cutting back are highlighted in orange.

First job at Ripponden now completed.

 

Back Lane: despite looking impassable, the footpath has been used.

Back Lane suffers badly from Himalayan Balsam infestation. While we clear the path annually, the plants growing in the adjacent fields and on the embankment continue to spread seeds that replenish the the growth. It's a bit of a thankless task, but regular footfall does help to keep it clear. 

The cutting back was done using electric strimmers and shears. Hopefully, we managed to deal with the majority of the plants before they seeded. With the path clear, thirsty walkers can make their way for a refreshing drink at the Alma Inn  . . . .   hearty meals are available for the hungry! 

Path now clear - Alma Inn, here we come!

CRAGG VALE - around and about

 Andy, Ginny and Rich had five jobs to sort:

• A drainage problem and waymarking near Stoney Royd Farm
• A reported problem with a kissing gate at New Bridge
• Drainage on the riverside path near Clough Bridge 
• Levelling a path and sorting a collapsed stile on the riverside path towards Dauber Bridge 

Today's work was funded by a generous donation from Cragg Vale Community Association. 

PATH ALONG THE EDGE OF BELL HOUSE MOOR

A lovely path connecting Heseltine Lane and Dick's Lane - the most amazing views of the valley!

The path was sinking into the mire in a couple of places. In one place we were able to uncover some sunken stones to create a dry route. In both spots we needed to direct people towards the wall to access a relatively dry route. 

 DRAINAGE ON THE RIVERSIDE PATH

A periodic visit to clear out a ditch that was over-topping onto the path -it should dry out soon! Extra waymarking was done at the path junction. 

PATH LEVELLING AND STILE SORTING

The narrow path heading towards Dauber Bridge was tricky to walk along. The bank was cut back and made more level. Further along, the stile had totally collapsed across the path. The post and rails were removed as it was no longer needed for stock control. 

 

 

TODMORDEN - Cutting Back & Tree Guards

Friday 26th June

There were two teams out from Todmorden today.

Team 1: Mick and Ken: raising the tree guards at Guide Quarry the start of the Geology trail

Team 2: David, RJ & Catherine: continued the work started last week cutting back on Tod BW 059 below the dinosaur and below Kitson Royd Farm, off Pudding Lane. This week it was the next section of the path down towards Pitts.

Today's work has been funded donations to Crows (Team 1's work) and by Calderdale Council Highways (Team 2's work). Many thanks.

Team 1 at Guide Quarry

These trees planted by Crows have grown
well but are now at munching height.

So the guards needed building up.

Ken and Mick have sorted it for now!

Team 2 worked here.

Bottom of path before strimming.

After strimming.

The path lower down was overgrown.

Easier to negotiate now.