Parrock Wood below Lodge Farm:
Kasher, Ian V and Frank H worked in ideal conditions (give or take a few midges!) to improve the waymarking on the network of paths running near Lodge Farm and to rebuild a dilapidated stile on a right of way (footpath Erringden 013).
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This work was funded by a donation from Todmorden Harriers' Flower Scar Fell Race. Many thanks.
The Detail
1. Waymarking
It's difficult to make the essential task of waymarking by means of disks or posts, look exciting but in some areas a clear indication of the route avoids the problem of wayward, wandering walkers!
Waymarks might be a disk on an existing post . . .
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. . . or a new yellow-topped post . . . (and yes - well spotted - that is Stoodley Pike in the background) . . .
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. . . or . . . a disk on an existing structure . . .
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2. The stile - out with the old and in with the new!
The original stile was as follows. At a glance it appears to be adequate . . .
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. . . but close inspection reveals multiple deficiencies:
e.g. i) rotten side-posts; rotten treadboard; insecure stock fence with exposed barbs near the side-post:
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e.g. ii) rotten treadboard (leg is also rotten); side rails that block access to a very short lower step; multiple misaligned posts that support the side-rails; protruding nails (not visible in picture).
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The plan was to build a wider, two-step stile, fit a grab post, reconfigure the side-rails (in right of the above pictures), re-tension the left-side stock fence and add protective sleeves to the barbed strands.
Here's how the work progressed:
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| 1. Up slope view: stock fence peeled back and a new post hole being dug. |
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| 2. All the old stile removed. New holes for side-posts being dug. |
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| 3. New side-post being positioned |
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| 4. Side-posts in place and temporarily braced with a cross-rail. One old step leg yet to be removed . . . a time-consuming task because 'dead- men'anchors had been fixed low down at the end of the leg! |
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| 5. Existing side rails being trimmed to a suitable length before being re-attached. The grab-pole will form part of the re-attachment structure. |
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| 6. New step-legs being embedded. |
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| 7. Final step-leg being cut to get an exact fit. |
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| 8. Final outcome: Up-slope view |
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| 9. Final outcome: Down-slope view |
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| 10. Stress test. Will the stile cope with 85 kg ? . . . . . never in doubt! |
Today was quite a long session. We had helped to unload a CALVAG timber delivery prior to leaving the depot and there was a short, steepish carry of all the materials and tools to the worksite. Removing one of the old step-legs was (as mentioned) problematic and took a disproportionate amount of time. However, we were pleased with the end result that ticked the 'checklist boxes' as being safe, secure, stable, functional and aesthetically pleasing. Hooray!
The new stile is the same overall height as the old but the cross-rails can easily be reconfigured if so wished. Otherwise it's probably another stile next week . . . or it might be a gate . . . or even a boardwalk!
