Luddenden Valley: stile and step repair.
On a day that warmed up (slightly) after an early frost, Ian S, Andrew and Frank H started on stile and step repairs on the footpath (Halifax 164) that leads off Heys Lane and goes down towards Luddenden Brook.
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Fortunately, the task was by the roadside so long treks with tool and timber were not needed. Hooray!
Today's work was funded by Luddenden Civic Trust.
The Detail
Repair work can often be tricky because structures can deteriorate during the time gap between survey and work party, and further problems may be unearthed as the job proceeds.Today was a prime example.
What started as:
"install one step-leg, replace one treadboard and repair one step" ended up as
"install two step-legs, add cross-bracing, replace two treadboards, replace a side rail, brace a grab post, repair two steps and carry out some landscaping." Phew!
While Andrew embarked on step repair, Ian and Frank started excavation work for the stile step-legs. It was an all-round effort of dig, rip out, dig more, measure, cut, install, level, pack, check, check again, repack, drill and nail. Here's how it went:
1. Start of session:
i) Mmm! Old lower treadboard falls off with a tap from the hammer. Its step-leg is totally rotten at ground level. Higher treadboard and its step-leg? Both completely missing!
2. Work in progress:
i) Digging out the old . . .
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| Every job starts with the first spadeful. |
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| "Does my bum look big in this?" |
ii) Quality control agents in disguise? We're not sure . . . but they are looking the wrong way! The stile and steps are out of shot some 50 m to the right!
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| "You can't pull the wool over our eyes!" |
3 End of session:
i) View of repairs from field-side.
a) Two brand-new risers installed, tread areas packed and levelled - neat job, Andrew.
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| Four easy steps up and you reach the road. Mind that traffic! |
b) Two new step-legs with cross-bracing and new treadboards together with the new top rail that is supporting Ian (or is it the other way around?).
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| Mmm! Neat original work. The stile rails in the foreground are exactly horizontal! |
ii) View of repairs from road-side.
a) The horizontal cross-brace for the grab post (right foreground) was recycled from scrap remnants. A new top rail (right) has been fitted and the improved steps lead down to the repaired stile.
We were pleased with today's efforts. The job is secure, looks tidy and makes the path leading down to Luddenden Brook safely accessible.
Later we walked down that path. The next stile encountered is safe and easy to negotiate but the slope that follows is steep and slippery. The brook was in spate so a crossing at the 'ford' would have been very tricky. We were advised by local residents that this crossing point used to have stepping stones but they have been washed away.
At the moment it looks like a walk best done when water levels are low! Steps for the slope and an easier crossing would be an extensive (and expensive) project. It'll go on CROWS list . . . but it's a long, long list!
