Three teams today
Dick and Richard J strimming a section of the Calderdale Way below Heptonstall
Large amounts of brambles and bay leaf willow herb needed strimming back to the wall
4 hours later
The Calderdale Way work is funded by Calderdale Long Distance Walkers Association.
Mick, Frank H, Fred, Gerald, Stella and Stuart returned to the Pennine Way steps that lead down to Hebble Hole. The work was a continuation of last week's efforts. The bulk of the day was spent clearing more steps of overgrowth (impressive shift by Stella) and distributing the contents of several industrial size bags of aggregate into the tread areas. So digging, scraping, shoveling, bagging, dragging/carrying, spreading and 'titivating' (Gerald's word) was the order of the day.
In two sessions, we have gone from this situation:
To this:
After a cloudy start, the sun came out . . . and so did the flies . . . quickly followed by the insect repellent!
No more pictures were taken, but aggregate was hauled (sterling effort, Stuart) to the riverside where Fred and Frank consolidated the tread and revetment work that was done last week. Later in the day Fred, Frank and Mick (combined age about 200!) mustered enough energy to walk back (i.e. up . . . and . . . up . . . and . . . up) to the vehicles to collect additional items so that revetment could be constructed and a wayward step replaced.
It might have been energy sapping, but we got a lot done today to improve these important Pennine Way steps. They will get their first major test on Sat (1st Sept) as they are on the route of the 'Blackshaw Head Fete' fell race. The race is well worth watching and the fete is a delightful community event.
Pennine Way work is funded by Calderdale Highways and Natural England.
Rich and Graham cutting up timber and working on the Calderdale Way below Pecket Well.
The Calderdale Way below Pecket is often encroached by vegetation - bramble, willow herb, balsam, nettles etc. We have decided to do a severe cutting back to last a couple of years - slow going but worth it (we hope).
The Calderdale Way work is funded by Calderdale Long Distance Walkers Association.
Dick and Richard J strimming a section of the Calderdale Way below Heptonstall
Large amounts of brambles and bay leaf willow herb needed strimming back to the wall
4 hours later
The Calderdale Way work is funded by Calderdale Long Distance Walkers Association.
Mick, Frank H, Fred, Gerald, Stella and Stuart returned to the Pennine Way steps that lead down to Hebble Hole. The work was a continuation of last week's efforts. The bulk of the day was spent clearing more steps of overgrowth (impressive shift by Stella) and distributing the contents of several industrial size bags of aggregate into the tread areas. So digging, scraping, shoveling, bagging, dragging/carrying, spreading and 'titivating' (Gerald's word) was the order of the day.
In two sessions, we have gone from this situation:
 |
| Picture 1: Section of steps before improvements |
 |
| Picture 2: Section of steps before improvement. |
 |
| Picture 3: Steps after improvement with shovellers-in-chief, Mick and Stuart. |
 |
| Picture 4: Gerald (aka 'spreader') Fred (aka 'carrier') and Stella (aka 'digger') in re-fuelling mode. |
 |
| Picture 5: View of a short section of the steps:- now cleared and filled with aggregate. |
After a cloudy start, the sun came out . . . and so did the flies . . . quickly followed by the insect repellent!
No more pictures were taken, but aggregate was hauled (sterling effort, Stuart) to the riverside where Fred and Frank consolidated the tread and revetment work that was done last week. Later in the day Fred, Frank and Mick (combined age about 200!) mustered enough energy to walk back (i.e. up . . . and . . . up . . . and . . . up) to the vehicles to collect additional items so that revetment could be constructed and a wayward step replaced.
It might have been energy sapping, but we got a lot done today to improve these important Pennine Way steps. They will get their first major test on Sat (1st Sept) as they are on the route of the 'Blackshaw Head Fete' fell race. The race is well worth watching and the fete is a delightful community event.
Pennine Way work is funded by Calderdale Highways and Natural England.
Rich and Graham cutting up timber and working on the Calderdale Way below Pecket Well.
The Calderdale Way below Pecket is often encroached by vegetation - bramble, willow herb, balsam, nettles etc. We have decided to do a severe cutting back to last a couple of years - slow going but worth it (we hope).
 |
| Only 15 metres cleared but looking good |
