HEBDEN BRIDGE, WALSHAW: Turn Hill area

 Turn Hill

It was a breezy day, enlivened by fine penetrating drizzle, for Jan L and Frank H to make some improvements on the route of the 2022 Heptonstall Fell Race (20th March).

Task 1. Stile preparation

Stile side-posts were carried along the path (Wadsworth 019) that leads towards Turn Hill from Lady Royd Farm and deposited by a rickety stile in preparation for next week's work. The 300 m uphill walk was useful . . . it warmed us up for . . . 

. . . Task 2. The Boardwalk

Further along the track towards Walshaw, a path (Wadsworth 039) leads eventually to the top of Turn Hill. Here's the problem:

Start of the session:

This boardwalk crosses very boggy ground! It is adequate structurally but has a slight lateral slope, a broken cross-tread, a very slippery surface and is difficult to find because of the encroaching reeds. Crossing the boardwalk needs care!

End of session

Reeds have been cut-back. The boardwalk surface has been brushed clear of loose debris then wire-brushed to remove the slippery layer of mud and moss. 

Marker poles have been positioned to guide users into and away from the boardwalk which crosses this very wet terrain.

A damaged cross-tread was replaced and staples were hammered into all the cross-treads to improve grip. The 'improvements' got an instant test. Two runners appeared, descending from Turn Hill, and ran across the boardwalk with no apparent difficulties. Hooray!

We would have taken a photograph . . . but they were moving too quickly!

Task 3. Marker poles

As well as those shown above, we added an extra pole and re-embedded others leading beyond the boardwalk towards Turn Hill.

At the end of the session we managed to carry all the tools etc in a single trip back to the car. which was perhaps as well because the wind and rain had increased . . .  and we were much, much wetter than we thought we were!

Today's work will be funded by the Heptonstall Fell Race. Many thanks.