Another big team today to walk out the Cragg Brook path from Dauber Bridge to Green Bank, dealing with minor maintenance and identifying larger issues to deal with later. This project was kindly funded by Cragg Vale Community Association who produced some great interpretation boards all the way down the brook.
DAUBER BRIDGE TO SPA BRIDGE
Kasher and Fred working on this permissive path cutting back overhanging holly; creating turnbys to get water off the pathway; inspecting and clearing boardwalks; and removing copious amounts of mud and leaf-litter. We have a number of items on the "to do" list which will be tackled in the near future.
In the image above, Fred can be seen working out what to to with one of the smaller boardwalks which needs some TLC. We should be able to replace this boardwalk with a slightly longer one positioned approximately where Fred is standing.
SPA BRIDGE TO HINCHLIFFE
Ian S and Jerry found this section to be in quite good condition, a bit of cutting back and scraping but no major issues.
HINCHLIFFE TO GREEN BANK
Jan and Paul surveyed the section of the Cragg Vale riverside path from Green Bank to the Hinchliffe Arms. The first issue identified was the lack of a waymark on the main road to identify the path leading down the hill, along the edge of the houses and towards the river in the valley bottom. The steep slope at the bottom of the stone steps below the houses needs some wooden steps dug into the bank and the next set of steps are badly in need of repair.
 |
| Set of steps at Green Bank badly in need of repair. |
Down at the river, a finger post has lost its flag which needs to be replaced. Over the beautiful clapper bridge, by the information board, is a boggy area which needs improvement. Further on, some cutting back of overhanging branches was carried out before a gate was encountered which closed against a set of rails which were very loose and unstable.
Further on, a short section of boardwalk crossing a small stream was investigated and clearly needs several new cross-treads.
 |
| The Viking Stone on the riverside path. |
Along the way, several paths and sets of steps were cleared of mud and mulch to make this beautiful route alongside the river much easier to negotiate. Further improvement will take place once the identified repairs are carried out.
 |
| Beautiful flight of steps cleaned up a little. |
Meanwhile, Rich revisited the work at Lower Lumb to make sure the new path and drainage was working. After that, a detailed inspection of the two bridges on the path around Castlegate dam was carried out. These bridges will soon need replacing.
