CORNHOLME - Obadiah Woods

 A team of three (Duncan, Kasher and Peter) spent a pleasurable morning in Obadiah Wood in Cornholme installing a small bench just off Tod 060. This bench was made by the depot team and is similar to the one installed a few months ago on the new definitive RoW off Pudsey Road.

Unfortunately, we drew the short straw as we had to position this bench is a very stony woodland, so it was not easy to dig the holes for the legs. We were, however, accompanied by the delightful sounds of woodland birds and surrounded by bluebells . . . Spring has really sprung! We also had the pleasure of the company of many walkers/dog walkers who were using this path. Many thanks for the generous donation to CROWS from one of today's visitors. It's much appreciated.

After installing the bench and clearing out the stream under the nearby boardwalk, recently installed by CROWS,  we moved to look at the state of Tod 065 to see if we could improve a small section of it. This path goes from Parkside Road up towards Brown Birks. After contacting the landowner we will come back to see if it may be possible to install a few small steps to make this section of the hillside easier to navigate.

Many thanks to the landowner of Obadiah Woods who has allowed us to install the bench.

Thanks too to Active Calderdale for funding today's work.

The blue "pin" marks the site of the new small bench.

A small woodland clearing . . . in need of a small bench.

Peter and Duncan starting to dig the holes for the legs.

Measuring up but still a way to go!

Bench in position and levelled up.

The bench now in place and level.

Testing! Testing! Duncan and Peter on the new bench.

Clearing out the small stream under the nearby boardwalk.

We will return to see if we can install some
steps on this section of  the hillside.

Hebden Bridge: Snow Booth gate and steps

 Snow Booth; Tricky steps and even trickier gate.

On the road to Old Town, beyond Hebden Bridge Golf Course (sometimes called Mount Skip Golf Course) near to where Height Road becomes Nook Lane there is a building named Snay Booth (sometimes called Snae Booth or Snow Booth). Below this building, a short section of right-of-way Wadsworth 078 heads due North and crosses to the opposite side of a drystone wall/stock fence. (see Map 1)

1. Worksite: steps to build and a gate to repair.

In brilliant blue-skied conditions Paul, Ian S, Kris and Frank H were faced with two tricky tasks :- constructing a short set of 'steps' to cope with the height difference as the path switches from one field to another and the reconstruction of the gate and fencing where the path goes through the wall/stockfence.

The detail

Short, steep, carries moved a small mountain of tools and timber from vehicle to worksite so Ian and Paul could begin to puzzle over the 'steps', and Kris and Frank could pitch into gate rebuild, hinge-post installation and fence repair. It was going to be a long session! Good job Kris has lots of energy!

i) The steps:

This is a 'before' picture:

2. Old and decayed. the two original steps

The plan was to replace these two, parallel, wooden steps with three similar steps. Careful recycling of the one treadboard and use of side-bracing for the step-legs eventually produced a stable, secure structure.

 

3. Progress: two steps in place and
number three under construction.

4. End result: Three, side-braced steps. 

5. Final touches: it's three wooden steps
then it's up onto the massive stone block.

This looks very neat. Well done guys. We might consider a fourth step and a grab pole when we return next month for another job in the area. . . .

. . . Meanwhile -

ii) The gate and fence:

Kris and Frank H tackled a sagging gate, a rotten hinge-post, rusted hinges and dilapidated fencing. The former gate was re-usable (albeit with some fettling). Here's a 'before' picture:

1. Overgrown and ramshackle!

The plan was to: 

a)  remove the rotten hinge-post (centre of picture).

b)  embed a new hinge-post so the existing very narrow gate (with new hinges, a spring in-fill strip and a closure spring) would self-close against one of the fence posts.

c)  fix to the fence post a closure chain that would loop over a gate paling.

d)  install short cross-rails to link hinge-post to the fence on the left.

e)  repair and re-align the fence in the foreground.

Phew! Looks to be a high energy session needing lots of careful thought!

2. Old hinge-post gone. Original gate being
used to get optimum posthole position

3. Narrow! New post-hole being excavated

.

4. View from 'steps' side: New post,
hinges, in-fill strip and spring all in place.

5. Progress: new side-rails to link gatepost
to the fence on the right. 

6. End result. New linked to old.

Jobs are always difficult if new structures have to fit in with 'often-out-of-line' older ones! Today, working space was constricted and there was a fair amount of 'make do and mend' but we were pleased with the end result. Some compromises were inevitable but the gate works efficiently, is self-closing and sections of horizontal rail are more horizontal than they have been for years!

CROWS will check on this structure when we return next month to fit another pedestrian gate further down the right-of-way. This will be a gate CROWS have constructed so installation will be easier . . .  and there's certainly more working room!

TODMORDEN - Various

 There were two teams out from Todmorden today:

Team 1: Catherine and RJ spent the first part of the day investigating drainage issues on Long Lane (Tod BW 031) and Baulk Head (at the junction of Tod BW 031 and Tod FP 031) ) and then the second part of the session installing marker posts on Tod 023 and Tod 017.  Inevitably, the team have come back with a whole host of other tasks . . . all to be added to the "to do" list! 

Team 2: Duncan, Kasher and Ken worked on Ashes Lane (Tod BW 022) to clear the turn-bys and then to sort out steps on the Calderdale Way (on Tod 017) where it cross Ashes Lane. Unfortunately, it was not possible to solve all the drainage issues on this bridleway as water was coming off the nearby fields and then flowing down the track. We will return to see if we can create drainage channels at the side to take water off the main bridleway area. 

Although it's not much fun working in the rain it's the only time you can see how the drains really flow! . .  . and what can be done to improve matters. We will also need to come back to improve the steps on the CW on the other side of the lane.

Many thanks to the residents at the top of Ashes Lane who allowed us to park near to the worksite.

Today's work has been funded by individual donations to CROWS. Many thanks to everyone who donates to help keep our amazing network of footpaths and bridleways in a reasonable condition.

A day of Swallows, Wheatears and the call of Curlews. 

Drainage issues on Long Lane and near Baulk Head (Team 1)

Work on Ashes Lane and the Calderdale Way (Team 2).

Team 1: 

RJ and the persistent drainage issue on Long Lane.

RJ formulating a plan for the drainage problem near Baulk Head.

Drainage channels created. Hopefully to take 
the water away from the base of the stile.

The first of the posts going in.

Catherine putting in the second post.

Team 2:

The CW steps at the start of the day.

Duncan starting the step clearance and the 
removal of the rotten risers.

The steps at the end of the day: new risers and stobs added 
and the path widened with all the bilberries
cut back.

 

A number of turn-bys cleared, but a few more to do.

The view down Ashes Lane.

Blackshaw Head: Pedestrian gate 2.

 Blackshaw Head: pedestrian gate Number 2.

On a cool and cloudy day when, once again, the threatened rain never appeared, Ian S, Neil D and Frank H installed a replacement pedestrian gate on right-of-way Blackshaw 021 that heads North-West behind BSH Chapel.

The gate is in an exposed location and has a construction possibly peculiar to the South Pennines (see picture 1)

1. Original gate (looking towards Brown Hill Lane):
 Mmm! a bit 'gappy' and fence posts held together with baler twine.

2. Location: North-West of BSH Chapel on edge of an old delph (quarry)

The Detail.

The gate allows passage through a fragile stock-fence and is hung on a weakly installed hinge-pole that has shifted out of the vertical. It closes against an adequately embedded post which doubles as a fence post.

3.  Original gate: (looking towards Old Shaw Lane)
Mmm! Miscellaneous alignments.

The plan was to embed a new hinge-post and hang (on T-hinges) a new gate with closure spring and chain-loop fastener.

The work begins:

4. Old hinge-post is out. Digging begins
for new deeper hole . . . and it's on
top of an old quarry!

5. Digging deeper: All the other timbers on view
are part of the stock-fencing and will not be touched.

6. New hinge-post being aligned.

Some time later (see picture 7) the vertical hinge-post has been packed and diagonally braced. A 'rest' stop has been fitted to the original (but out of vertical) closure post. A closure spring has been fixed in place and a closure chain which loops over a gate paling is being attached to the closure post.

7. End result: A neat job that does not
interfere with the fragile fence structure

Originally some of the gates on this footpath had a horse outline attached but these silhouettes had deteriorated badly. We thought the horse theme might be confusing as this route is not a bridleway - however, a Crow silhouette might be an appropriate substitute . . . so here's a close-up . . .!

 

8. Crow:

'. . . just then flew down a monstrous Crow

As black as a tar barrel . . . '

(Lewis Carroll, Tweedledum & Tweedledee)

Today's work was funded by a donation from The 'Moors the Merrier Fell Race' (Cragg Runners). Many thanks for your support.

Ryburn - Footpath along Blackshaw Clough

This footpath leads off a bend in the road over the bridge opposite the livery stables at Clough House farm, on Blackshaw Clough Road. Whilst still in use, it has been sadly neglected, being overgrown with tree branches and subject to flooding as a result of choke points in the clough. Today's work has been funded through donations to CROWS. A big 'thank you' to all who have donated.

The section highlighted in blue was today's work area.

Armed with shears, saws and loppers, Andy, Jerry and Angus set about cutting back the overhanging branches and clearing debris from the clough to improve water flow and thus reducing the potential for flooding the footpath. This has previously happened on the lower section of the path, which was still sodden and had to be drained.

The lower section of the path, near its exit onto the road.

Further up the clough, the overhanging branches became a problem.

Though, once cleared, the path soon opened up.

Removing the branches will also help the path to dry out.

The path then splits. To the right, it crosses a stile and follows the line of the clough whereas, to the left, it crosses a small footbridge, leading towards Great Merry Bent Farm. Both the stile and the footbridge are in good order, but the metal handrail on the footbridge has been crushed at one end by a fallen tree - a new wooden handrail will be fitted in due course. 

We had to cut-back a fallen willow tree which had partly blocked the path. This area is very damp, and the spreading nature of the overgrowth was forcing walkers into some very boggy ground.

Before and after views to show where the willow tree was blocking the path.

A wide angle view showing the stile on the right and the footbridge on the left.