A fine day in a high but sheltered location for Ian S and Frank H to sort out a stile problem.
Here's the situation:
More 'Turner Prize' material than a functioning stile!
A complete re-build of the stile is needed. A barbed wire fence's straining post needs replacing and the existing wires re-attaching and re-tensioning.
By lunchtime:
The old stub of the stile's taller upright has been dug out. A new upright has been installed (gratifyingly parallel to the telegraph pole!).
The old straining post has been dug out and the hole deepened for the replacement post.
Ian is contemplating how much more work we have to do to get a deep enough hole for the stile's shorter upright. Answer - more than you think!
Both stile uprights in place, vertical and parallel.
Straining post in place, vertical and braced with a diagonal.
Barbed wire fence untangled, tensioned and attached to straining post ... except for the lowest strand which was 2.0 m too short! Some splicing will be needed in the next session.
Overall an energy demanding day but with satisfying progress in almost ideal working conditions. One more session should see the job completed with steps and cross-rails in place.
Today's work is being funded by the landowner.
