TODMORDEN: WALSDEN

 Walsden: Ramsden Lane

A cool day for Ray and Frank H to make an early start working on the right-of-way (footpath Todmorden 135) that leads from Ramsden Lane to Ramsden Wood.

Start of the session:

These are the steps that Ray and Ken built last week. More steps need to be added because the slope in the foreground is very slippery and walkers could easily end up on their backsides. Ray actually demonstrated this, but unfortunately Frank was not quick enough with the camera!

Although we were in a reasonably sheltered location, a chill wind swept flurries of sleet across the worksite to a background soundtrack of rumbling thunder - an incentive to work hard and not hang around too long!

End of the session:

Looking down!

Looking up!

This flight is really neat and graceful! Six more steps have been added. Tread areas have been in-filled with pounded stone and shale. The exposed edges of the steps have been banked and landscaped . . . and it is only early afternoon! 

At this point, the temperature dropped sharply, skies darkened, thunder threatened and waves of sleet arrived. Fortunately we had just used the last riser, so tools were given a preliminary wipe before returning to the depot for the usual session of cleaning, drying, oiling and storing for the next work party. By the time this was done, skies were blue and the sun was out - a typical wintry South Pennine day!