Dark Lane: More hours with mud!
Billie, Paul, Rich, Frank S, Kasher, Ray and Frank H (aka The Magnificent Seven . . . or perhaps otherwise!) continued with improvements to the surface of this well-used bridleway.
Choose your tools: Spades, shovels, azads-small, azads-large, mattocks, loppers and shears . . . Mmm! next time we should remember to include a lump hammer!
Work in progress 1:
Drainage here is a problem. Rainwater runs off the fields on the right but has nowhere to go. Mulch and mud gradually accumulate to bury the original surface of the bridleway.
When the mud is scraped away and the overgrown edges cut back long stretches of the old, stone 'causey' path are revealed.
This is a problematic area where a pool forms during wet weather.
i) The channel (front left) was cleared so water will be able to drain into pipework that leads under the track into a ditch.
ii) The stone path (right of picture) was stabilised to provide a firmer, mud-free route.
Detail of a stone path - cleared, levelled and packed to create a stable surface.
We were fortunate with the weather. At the start of the morning when we were loading tools into vehicles (and unloading timber from a CALVAG delivery) the rain was coming down in heavy bursts. However, by the time we reached Dark Lane conditions had cleared to give an overcast but slightly chilly day - an incentive to keep working hard on this labour-intensive task.
Today's efforts were funded by a local donation. Many thanks.
