One of the three parties out today consisted of Mick and Neil M. Our main task was to investigate reported drainage problems on the main Calderdale Way (Hebden Royd 076) alongside the Withens Clough reservoir. The task was funded by Calderdale Highways Dept.
More detail
After taking Richard J. up to Blackshaw Head, we drove over into Cragg Vale and up to the Withens Clough car park, then walked along the track as far as the pin on the map (see above) where we found stretches of water across the full width.
The remedy was to clear the small drainage channels that ran under the wall.These had been previously created and had been marked by blue paint on the wall. With varying success, we tackled four of these, the most effective being the one taking water down a significant "swallow hole":
Other channels were less effective, but still were removing some water:
We continued a little further, where drainage was already working well, and firmed up a wobbly square marker post showing the start of path (Hebden Royd 081) that leads uphill through the pine wood (extreme left of the map). Here we also pruned a tree branch that could have interfered with crossing the stile at the entrance to the wood . . . except that a collapsed stretch of wall made the stile easily avoidable!
Looking over the lake as we drank our coffee, we caught sight of a hardy swimmer who must have missed all the signs saying "Do Not Swim In Reservoirs"! Mmm! Dip at your peril!
On our way back, we could see that our drainage efforts had already had some effect as more track was visible where there had been only water. "This'll need doing every week" one of the party was heard to mutter. Mmm! Pessimist!
Then it was back to Blackshaw Head to collect Richard and admire the preparatory work he and colleagues had done around the packhorse bridge.
