WADSWORTH OLD TOWN

 Chiserley Village paths

Ginny, Sean and Paul were out today in Lower Chiserley cutting back two of the main footpaths in this area of Old Town. The longer and likely more used path (Wadsworth 075) travels directly down the hillside from Chiserley Stile to South Mead running parallel most of the way to the back of houses on Old Mill Ridge. The second pathway runs along the bottom end toward Foot Kiln (Wadsworth 076). The weather was fair with no sign of the predicted rain so counting our blessings we soldiered on.

Pathways in red

Work funded by Wadsworth Parish Council. Thankyou for your ongoing support.

Attending to these overgrown footpaths have become an annual event and the before photos tell us why.

toward South Mead

Up toward Chiserley Stile

Across the field toward Foot Kiln.

Ginny and Sean teamed up to work on the pathway up to Chiserley Stile while Paul strimmed the main feeder paths:

Overgrown hedge narrowing the path.

There was time to spot some wild life; an inquisitive female Robin!

Any food about?

After lots of work we made headway:

Tidy!

Clearer at the top end!

That's better!

More accessible now.

Overall a satisfying day. There a remains a bit more to finish off so we will return!

TWO PATHS AROUND WADSWORTH

HURST BRIDGE AT NUTCLOUGH

 A few weeks ago a large branch fell off a beech tree on to the bridge. This was speedily dealt with by the council. 

After they had finished we discovered that the finger post had been knocked to the floor, so needed reinstating. 

 

The reinstated finger post

CALDERDALE WAY BELOW PECKET WELL

Calderdale Highways received a report pointing out the lack of waymarking across Keighley Road. This was true but the least of the problem - the path on the Old Town side was nowhere to be seen - it looked like you were walking into a hedge!

 

Raspberries, Hawthorn, Rose Bay Willow Herb, Himalayan Balsam, Brambles and Blackthorn were the main culprits. So Kris and Rich had to use the full set of cutting back tools to deal with the problem. 

 

Where is the path?

A nice place to sit?

The path emerging

It became clear that bits of a stone surface were very large causey stones suitable for pack horses. 

Now you can sit and admire the view

Way-marks attached to an existing post.

 

The bottom of the path is now passable but will need another session to completey clear. We think the wide causey paths will go right to the Keighley Road, so clearing them will save time on future maintenance. Very exciting to have uncovered this lost path. 

 

TODMORDEN - a day of unearthing history in Shore

There was one team of four (Catherine, Duncan, Kasher and RJ) out from Todmorden today. A number of jobs needed sorting out in Shore, above Cornholme.

1) Cutting back on Tod 070 by the Baptist Chapel (https://www.tod.me.uk/ and https://sites.rootsweb.com/~todmordenandwalsden/shorechapel_000.htm) and clearing the path to the impressive set of stone steps which go from the clough to the chapel.

2) Cutting back on Tod 062 from Bluebell Lane to the outdoor baptismal area below Shore Law, and revealing the baptismal area once again.

3) A number of minor tasks around Shore Green including a second coat of stain on Gerald's bench on Shore New Road.

Today's work party was funded by a kind donation from the Cornholme Wreath Making workshop held in December 2025. Many thanks for all you do to support CROWS in the Cornholme area.

The stone steps near Shore Baptist Chapel: the site of one of the work parties today.

The blue "pin" marks the site of the Shore Baptist Chapel outdoor baptismal area.

The Baptismal Area:

OK, we know its here somewhere . . . !

The first signs of the baptismal area . . . take care!

The stone steps are emerging...

More of the steps now in view and fallen stones
repositioned.

Catherine working on the stone bridge.

RJ at the top of the baptismal area which has now been
cleared.

Catherine at the end of a satisfying task.

The baptismal area and the bridge.

The baptismal area and the bridge (2)

The stone steps:

The path into the woods.

The wooden seat - now liberated from the 
raspberry canes and brambles!

The path by the side of Shore Baptist Chapel.

The top flight of stone steps.

A second coat:

Catherine giving Gerald King's bench a second coat
of preservative.

WADSWORTH

 Calderdale Way: Shawcroft Hill to Slackhouse Lane.

Kris, Nick and Paul were out on a much cooler day cutting back an overgrown path on a section of the Calderdale Way (Wadsworth 053 path).

Cutting back shrubbery and grasses on this stretch of path has become an annual event particularly at the bottom and top ends where foliage encroaches to such a degree that the pathway is difficult to negotiate.

Red line indicating pathway.

Work funded by Wadsworth Parish Council - thankyou for your ongoing support.

Top end

Overgrown Shrubbery blocking the pathway.

No way through!

We started at the top end and soon made headway with hedge trimmers and strimmer:

Shrubbery cleared:

A way through!

Following this we started at the bottom end by Shawcroft Cottages which was a tad overgrown!:

Lots of summer growth!

We cleared the pathway, and turn byes:

That's better!

Turn byes that run into the drainage channel on the wall side of the path were cleared out:

One of the cleared turn byes.

And steps cleared further up the path:

Nick and Kris at work.

Overall a satisfying day's work making this section of the Calderdale Way easierr for walkers to use.

PENNINE WAY AND CALDERDALE WAY AT COLDEN

Today was Day Three on this Pennine Way job. On Day 1 we cut back the path, began clearing the steps and replaced some rotten risers. On Day 2 we continued the cut back and cleared more steps in preparations for today's session which was to finish clearing the steps, doing more cutting back and re-stoning the tread areas. 

Nic, Jan, Jerry, Stella and Rich arrived to find a one tonne bag of 'crusher-run' delivered to the path by a local farmer - many thanks. 

This work was funded by a partnership between Natural England and Calderdale Highways. 

It was a warm day of . . . up and down the path . .  . with wheelbarrow, trugs, shovels, rakes and a heavy tamper. 

 

Very different to Day 1 when we arrived!

The second job we tackled was on the Calderdale Way where a very overgrown section was forcing people to deviate from the paved path. 

Before and after

 

Many thanks to Heptonstall Parish Council for funding this job.