ERRINGDEN

It was fierce March weather today with strong wind and gusts of horizontal hail between bursts of wild sunshine and long views.  Guy and Stella parked on Kilnshaw Lane and climbed up behind Higher Rough Head Farm to improve some confusing/absent waymarking reported by a local resident.  

At the dog-leg from path 04/9/4 to path 04/9/5, downhill  to Kilnshaw Lane, the stone squeeze was easily missed - but hopefully no longer!  

We rebuilt the edge of the path, and put in a waymark post.

We were here....

....in the hail.  And now you can see where to go.

We also cut back the reeds and long grass in the tumbledown walled-lane coming down from Whittaker Lane (path 4/9/4), to make the route clearer. The hazardous stile at the top of Whittaker Lane leading onto this path ideally needs replacing with a stock-proof gate, an option which is being explored.

Further waymarking is needed to indicate the route of path 04/9/3 towards Rake track, along with some small improvements to the access over a couple of stiles on this route. 

Your generous donations to CROWS funded today's work.  Thank you, as ever!

PENNINE WAY at Colden

Today was a second visit to Edge Lane for Andy and Rich to re-erect a finger post, clear steps, fix a fence and fettle a gate. This work was funded by a partnership of 'Calderdale Highways' and 'Natural England'. 

The post: - out of the ground and looking sad. It will need replacing at some stage, but is OK for now. 

 

The top of the path was quite narrow with bushes encroaching. These were cut back and the path widened. We are hoping a contractor will be fixing the drainage problem lower down. 

Then it was over to Edge Lane to clear three flights of stone steps. 

The final two jobs were to sort a barbed wire fence that was leaning across the path and to repair a catch on a gate at the edge of the moor. 

WADSWORTH

 MOORFIELD, OLD TOWN

Ginny and Paul were out today working on a ROW that winds around the back of Moorfield estate in Old Town. The path starts at the junction of Parrock Lane and Walker Lane, runs up the side of Moorfield and then branches right to Rock Edge:

ROW marked in red.

Work funded by Wadsworth Parish Council - thankyou!

The day's task was twofold: to tackle a drainage problem below where the path meets Rock Edge and to cut back overgrowth of bramble, bracken and overhanging branches.

Water pouring onto the path!

We had surveyed this problem a couple of weeks ago and, in response to a Facebook post, Michael a local resident met us on arrival; he had a depth of knowledge about local watercourses that helped in planning our course of action. 

Having said this, the obstacles of a steep banking to the right of the picture and the position of a mature birch tree, prevented our redirecting the flow of water from this stretch of the pathway. However, the water ran on a firm rocky path until the turn-bye and was walkable on foot, so we decided to leave this for the time being. 

Channel dug out

Further down, we dug out a new drainage channel to divert the water flow from the footpath. 

Ginny at work on the new channel

Curiously the water disappeared into the ground lower down. We dug a large 'sump' at this point to investigate and found the hole where the water escaped . . . albeit slowly!

Michal thought this may be going into one of the main field drains. Further investigation at a later date, will be needed to see if it is possible to link the drainage channel to the field drain.

Cut back on the straight section.

After lunch, we cut back encroaching bramble and cleared fern detritus from the long stretch of pathway going downhill towards the main road. We also cut back overhanging tree branches. 

This part of the path narrows in places and there is scope for some widening to enable safer passage.

More spacious,

Another day's work needed here on this footpath!

Bottom end!

TODMORDEN - Off Dukes Cut

Duncan, Gareth & Mick spent the day improving waymarking and stile access along Blackshaw 20, a path from Blackshaw Head up to Dukes Cut which has some informal rerouting with the landowner’s agreement in order to skirt a deep and nasty bog on the line of the definitive path.

A very misty day eventually cleared, yielding excellent views.  Unfortunately Duncan’s view was mostly into a hole yielding nothing but rocks, as he sought to insert a post for an additional step on a tall stile alongside a locked gate.  With a good deal of effort, the new step was eventually erected, making the crossing of the stile much easier in future.

Today’s work was funded by Calderdale Ramblers.  Our thanks, as always, to them and to our other donors.

The stile before the extra step - long legs needed!

Mick disappears into the mist to erect waymark
posts.

Has Duncan struck oil?  No, just more stones.

The finished step - now catering for walkers of all sizes. 

TODMORDEN - Ashenhurst and Todmorden Moor Geology Trail

 There were two teams out from Todmorden today:

Duncan, Gareth and Mick worked on a stile and enhanced the way-marking off Dukes Cut (see separate Blog)

Catherine and Kasher planted willow above Tod 029 to try, in the long term, to prevent water flow onto this narrow path throughout the wet winter months. 

We then moved onto Bearnshaw Tower to survey a stile which had been reported to us by Todmorden Harriers.

Finally we took a walk with a bar, a lump hammer, gallons of water and some Fairy Liquid to undertake the first 'fettling-up' of the year on the Geology Trail. We cleaned information boards, reinstated downed markerposts and firmed up those posts that had been used as back-scratchers by the Belted Galloways who live on this moor.

Many thanks to Dave Halley for providing the willow used today.

Today's work has been funded by Calderdale Ramblers to whom we extend our sincere thanks.

Willow planting near Ashenhurst.

The first visit of the year to Todmorden Moor Geology Trail.

Catherine preparing the willow for planting.

Willow planted in the very wet ground.

The information board at the site of Sandy Road Colliery.

The notice board after a clean . . . it's now legible!

There has been significant damage to the moorland here.

Catherine and the Geology Trail way markers.

The start of the Geology Trail in Guide Quarry off Tower Causeway.

Information overload?