EASTWOOD TODMORDEN
Bernard, Dick, Gerald, Paul, RJ and Stuart made their 3rd and final visit to "The Jungle".
First there was ditching:
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| Ditch 'before' |
. . . . some time later . . . .
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| Ditch 'after'. |
Then there was cutting back.This was done by hand to avoid any damage to residents' water supply
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| Area 'before'. |
. . . . some time later . . . .
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| Area 'after' |
And also, for most of the day, the two strimmers were in action:
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| Is this a path or a jungle? |
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| It's a path now! |
Well done everyone.
Meanwhile, in Hardcastle Crags,
Fred and Frank H were continuing the step construction from last week.
Mmm! If Plan A fails, it's always useful to have a Plan B . . . or in our case a Plan C swiftly followed by a Plan D!
Plan A was to continue the line from the highest two steps that were carefully put in place last week. A few strikes of the bar to make stob holes revealed a large rock slab exactly where the riser needed to be! Abandon Plan A.
Plan B was to shift the line of the steps to take advantage of a minor crack in the rock slab. Attempts to enlarge the crack failed, although the earth (i.e. the whole planet) did seem to move slightly! Abandon Plan B.
Plan C was to drill the rock slab and pin the riser with metal rods. Unfortunately the gritstone slab was particularly uncooperative even when threatened with a brand new masonry bit fitted to a hammer drill on full power! Abandon Plan C.
Hence, Plan D. . . . . Knock out the two steps from last week and re-align the whole sequence. Happily, this worked. Hooray! So we have:
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| Area where steps need to be. |
Some time later . . . . five steps in place:
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| Work in progress! |
Towards the end of the day:
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| Six steps in place and natural timber used as revetment. |
Next week we need to: fill and consolidate the tread areas of these steps; do a minor amount of landscaping and start on the final flight of about seven steps that will go up the last section of slope. That's Plan A . . . but . . . !! Watch this space!
