TODMORDEN: Ramsden Farm

Revetment

The path that leads down from Ramsden Farm towards Ramsden Wood cuts across the side of the hill. In places, unstable sections have been shored-up but wet, steep terrain consisting mainly of shale and mud is always prone to further slippage - for example:

*A collapsed path edge. The banking goes down, levels out briefly at a lower path then plunges more steeply to a stream just above Ramsden Wood Road. This is a long, long way! . . .   but was easily negotiated by the wayward 2.5 m anchoring stob that slipped over the edge of the path. Mmm! Consequently, the first task of the day was for Frank H - a search, find and retrieve mission!

*Once this early morning entertainment was over Frank H and Ian V could come up with best option for stabilising the path . . .

. . . and here it is (picture shows work in progress).

*Build a four tier section of revetment with the tiers tapering down from 3.6 m x 100 mm x 50 mm  to 2.4 m x 100 mm x 50 mm.

*Anchor it substantially with four very long stobs (2.4 m) hammered into the ground as deeply as possible.

*Pin the extreme ends of the top tier with shorter standard stobs.

Here's the end result:

*The revetment rails are screwed (or screw-nailed) to the stobs.

*The stobs have been driven into the ground to a depth that is twice the height of the whole revetment! This was a high-energy task involving the use of  a heavy bar to create pilot holes, and an even heavier maul to pile drive. Muscles will be aching tomorrow!

*Time to stand back and admire . . .or is it to just lean wearily on a spade?

*The path has been widened slightly and the narrow gap between revetment and path edge has been back-filled.

*Our work has stabilised and protected this path edge and hopefully is robust enough to prevent further slippage . . . although in the soggy, wet South Pennines you can never be too sure!

*This section would benefit from more widening before we move on to a similar but even trickier task further down the right-of-way.

 

Meanwhile Ken and Peter were dealing with two very wet sections of a path.

Pretty much impassable

One of two boardwalks installed

Today's work was funded by a grant from Crook Hill Windfarm Community Fund.