On a bright Spring day Ian S, Fred and Kasher ventured to Tenterfield's Business Park, just off the main road between Luddenden Foot and Friendly. Here we were working on a footpath (Sowerby 040) which runs from the canal towpath down towards the river. This path has been very badly eroded and is exceptionally slippery in wet conditions.
 |
| 1. The start of the planning... |
 |
| 2. Left a bit, right a bit.... |
After an interesting debate on how to make the path safer, we agreed to construct some step platforms to help walkers negotiate this slippery slope.
 |
| 3. Working in 3D (or was it 4D)? |
 |
| 4. Building the step platforms and infilling. |
Large amounts of stone and concrete rubble made the ground exceptionally resistant so getting stobs in place involved heavy work with the two crowbars . . . and lots of 'grunt'! Additionally, the side-sloping terrain meant the horizontal steps needed a significant quantity of infill.
The steps/platforms created do not go across the whole of this wide slope but were positioned so one edge was protected by the banking (a convenient source of infill) and the other by 'boxing-in' with side-sections.
 |
| 5. The step platforms being created |
 |
| 6. The steps built to one side of the slope. |
We were not able to finish the task today but have left the area safe to use. We will return in the near future to add one (possibly two) steps at the top of the flight, and another four steps lower down the slope. We also intend to improve the tread area by adding and tamping down more infill.
 |
| 7. Ian's 'rain dance' to tamp down the infill. |
This work was funded by individual donations to CROWS. Many thanks.
