Edge Lane: stile (preliminary work)
A cloudy day with a minor amount of drizzle for Ray, Heidi and Frank H to start the intricate task of replacing straining posts (and a stile) without compromising livestock security.
Here's the problem as shown in a photo taken during the survey on a blue-skied January day.
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| 1. Before picture: shakier than it looks!! |
Here's the plan for today:
*Remove the fingerpost.
*Install two new strainer/fenceposts but with a wider spacing.
*brace these posts with a diagonal struts and anchoring stobs.
Then (on Wed);
*Re-tension the stockfence to the new strainer posts.
*Completely remove the old stile and construct a new two-step stile with side posts (lined up with the strainers) in the gap. Cross-rails running from strainer to strainer will also be attached to the new side posts! Phew!
Here's how today's work progressed:
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| 2. Post hole digging . . . but is it Frank or Heidi? |
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| 3. Post hole digging . . . but is it Heidi or Frank? |
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| 4. New strainer with diagonal brace and (not visible) anchoring stob. |
After an easy start (i.e. the first 15 cm), bands of dry, compacted clay and shale were encountered and much 'grunt' with bar and spade was needed to get near the 1.0 m depth required.
The work on this stile (on the right-of-way Heptonstall 014) is being funded by a generous donation from the Blackshaw Head Fell Race. Many thanks.
These new straining posts were pointed at the base end and, given a suitable pilot hole, could be positioned and driven deeper by using a heavy-duty post knocker. Mmm! Good job Frank's been to the gym!
The diagonal brace was inset into the strainer, pinned by a screw and anchored at ground level by means of a stob.
The existing (barbed) top wire was tensioned to this new strainer. The rest of the stockfence will be fixed in the same way on Wed.
A new strainer was similarly installed on the other side of the stile.
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| 5. New strainers both visible. On Wed the old structure (centre picture) will be replaced with a new 2-step stile. |
The work on this stile (on the right-of-way Heptonstall 014) is being funded by a generous donation from the Blackshaw Head Fell Race. Many thanks.
