Blake Dean area
Two teams were in action at Blake Dean on what was a grey-skied, heavy-shower sort of a day. Welcome to Spring in the South Pennines!
The agenda was:- fix a finger post on the Pennine Way, repair a bridge, sort drainage, clear steps and assess the repair of a gate.
Today's work was funded by the family and friends of Tim Mihailovik. Thank you.
The detail
Gate and step clearance
Team 1 had plan A to replace a ruined gate on the footpath, Wadsworth 017 (marked on map) that leads down to the footbridge where Alcomden Water forms a junction with Graining and Hebden Waters.
However, technical difficulties meant the task had to be deferred and instead plan B (step clearance) was put into action! Kasher and Frank H, therefore, worked on the useful stone steps (not actually recorded as a right-of way) that lead upwards from footpath Wadsworth 017 into a rough route that cuts off the tight double bend of the Widdop Road. Here's the progress:
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| 1. Start of the stepped section of the path nearly invisible under layers of debris. |
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| 2. It's spade and azad work to chop away the mud and mulch. |
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| 3. Gradually all is revealed! A neat set of steps that lead eventually to a narrower ragged path. |
Photographs taken by Kasher who also put in an energetic shift of digging and scraping.
Team 2 comprising Andrew, Jerry & Rich worked in various combinations on:
i) Pennine Way Finger post at Gorple
The post had collapsed, but Andrew and Jerry managed to rescue it and re-instate. The post should now be good for a couple of years.
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ii) Blake Dean footbridge
a) Jerry and Andrew put in a low waymark post.
b) Jerry and Rich replaced rotten cross-treads on the bridge.
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| Several cross-treads replaced |
c) Andrew and Rich worked on the approach path to the bridge where there was mud . . . deep mud! . . . clinging mud! . . . lots of it!
Stepping stones were installed, water was channelled and lots of scraping took place. Andrew and Rich competed for who got the most mud splattered waterproofs! Result? Equal first!
They worked on Footpath Blackshaw 041 which goes up from Bridestones Brewery (on Long Causeway) passing the interestingly named Mouse Nest to reach Burnt Edge (see map).
The path jinks its way between farm buildings and along the side of a low dry-stone wall. Some of the marker posts (either short posts or longer poles) had been dislodged and needed re-bedding into the very soft ground. Here's the progress:
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| 1. Deep hole for a square-section post |
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| 2. Post is vertical and packing material is being rammed in place, firstly with the wooden ram (as in picture) then with the iron bar. |
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| 3. Marker pole getting the iron bar treatment. Good technique - straight back, firm grip, eye on task and perfect alignment. |
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| 4. Quality control monitor? You can't pull the wool over their eyes . . . or perhaps you can! . . . |
Photographs (as well as hole clearing and packing) courtesy of Kasher.
