TODMORDEN: (WALSDEN) Cranberry Dam

 Cranberry Dam: A Tale of Two Stiles

'It was the best of stiles, it was the worst of stiles . . . '   

An interesting day of Dickensian hard labour for Ian S and Frank H.

Stile 1. A ladder stile over a drystone wall.

   Top of stile: broken side

   pieces and foot-rails no

   longer horizontal.

                 Multiple problems   

   Bottom of stile: a

   sideways lean and not

   fixed into the ground.

Work in progress:

i) The top of stile has been stabilised by adding side pieces to link the stile uprights. Ian is trimming the side pieces to be flush with the uprights. 

Note the good technique:- stable stance, a steady saw and eyes on the cut.

   

ii) The stile has been realigned so the foot-rails are horizontal and each side upright has been anchored by nailing it to a stob driven into the ground.

Stile 2. A two-step stile over a stock fence.

The afternoon session was one of preparation for future construction work.

This is the location for a two-step stile over the stock fence so the definitive right-of-way may be followed to the ladder stile (described above) which is just out of shot to the left.

During the afternoon,:

*the reeds and long grass were cut back

*post holes were dug for the side uprights

*the uprights were trimmed to the required length and the tops shaped to improve grip. 

The stile has to be built without compromising the stock fence! This is a task for Ken and Frank H on Friday although Frank is hoping the ground where the step legs have to go will not be quite so compacted!

Today's work was sponsored by the Crook Hill Windfarm Community Fund.