CROWS recently received notification that the footpath linking Knowlwood Road and Lumbutts Road near Lower Swineshead needed attention. This footpath (Todmorden 209) along Swineshead Clough, had become a river rather than a hillside path with beautiful stone steps.
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| 2. Catherine and Andrew getting the flowing water back into the clough. |
Andrew, Catherine, Mick and Kasher spent a fantastic morning trying to get the flowing water back into two stream beds and then clearing flights of stone steps. We worked with amazing views across the hillside to Gauxholme with perfect autumnal colours.
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| 3. Catherine in her element! |
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| 4. Andrew and Mick clearing the stone steps. |
Catherine did battle with the flowing water whilst Andrew, Mick and Kasher unearthed stone steps which were hidden with a few years growth of vegetation. These were another set of steps which are easier to walk up rather than down!
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| 5. The flights of stone steps (upper reaches). |
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| 6. The flights of stone steps (lower reaches). |
At the bottom of the clough is a small bridge which will need to be moved or replaced. Currently the bridge is not being used by walkers who seem to prefer crossing the stream rather than going over the bridge.
We will need to return to:
- repair, move or replace the bridge
- check the drainage work undertaken
- replace the tread-board on the lower stile
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| 7. The bridge which will be repositioned. |
Today's work has been funded by a kind donation from TodWalkers (http://todwalkers.org.uk).
