Minus 5 degrees this morning, but calm and sunny, providing us with wonderful views from our workplace at Eastwood, with wisps of cloud over the valleys.
Ken H. and Neil M. went to repair a stile near Great Rock, where the footpath known as Blackshaw 056 meets Eastwood Road. The tread-board had adopted a rakish angle, making the stile virtually unusable. The bases of the legs were completely rotten, so new legs were installed and dug in securely. The uprights to each side were distinctly wobbly as well, but as we hadn’t the necessary lengths of timber with us, this task is for completion on another day.
We then made our way to size up another stile problem on footpath Todmorden 011. Not having found a drivable short-cut on the farm tracks, we descended to the A646 and drove up East Lee Lane to where it bends left and becomes New Road. From here the stile in question is at the far side of the adjacent house (Mount Pleasant).
On this stile, one of the legs has tilted, and the tread-board is going rotten along a groove down the middle. Here, too, the uprights could be more solid! The stile is usable for the time being, but will need work. It’s a bit of a squeeze to access this one!
This work was funded by generous donations from members of the public.
