Kershaw Crescent: path towards the Burnley Road
Two teams of CROWS returned to the path (Soweby 029) that leads down towards Burnley Road from just below Kershaw Crescent. This route had been closed for years because of a collapsing retaining wall at the Burnley Road end. However, Calderdale Council has now repaired this wall and last week CROWS had a session of cutting back several years worth of invasive undergrowth.
This week, Team 1 worked on renovating the rotting steps just below Kershaw Crescent and Team 2 carried out more footpath clearance and widening by working upwards from the Burnley Road.
The Detail
Team 1
A squad of four, Ian S, Steve P, Frank S and Frank H worked as two pairs to dig out the old decaying steps and then decide on the best configuration for a new flight. After some discussion, it was:- level a tread area, position a new riser and hammer in the anchoring stobs before in-filling with a soil/rubble mix.
Here's how the work progressed:
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| 1. Approximate profile for new flight being dug out. |
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| 2. Half the new steps in place. |
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| 3. End of session i): View up the new flight as it rises gracefully to meet the short path (Sowerby 028) that leads to Kershaw Crescent. |
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| 4. End of session ii): view down the new flight. |
There is still work to be done here, for example:
a) The tread areas need consolidating with aggregate (or similar).
b) One old central step which was left in place as a reference for alignment needs replacing.
c) The lower two steps are temporary and need re-jigging with a higher riser.
d) At least two additional steps are needed.
e) The whole flight needs banking/landscaping.
f) A waymark post at the top of the flight is required.
Lots to do for another energetic squad - perhaps next week!
Team 2.
Meanwhile Jan, Jerry and Paul worked from the Burnley Road end of the path. We started by clearing vegetation from the stone steps that lead up from the main road; the very steps that the recently repaired retaining wall was supporting:
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| A wee bit overgrown! |
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| Cleared stone steps. |
We then went on to clear the path from the top of the steps and discovered what seemed to be an impenetrable wall of snowberry bushes! Paul, armed with a hedge trimmer went on a mission to find the line of least resistance.
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| Where is the path? |
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| Along here I think... |
Eventually, after about 100 metres we managed to break through to the woodland beyond and then it was repeated strimming and raking to create a wide, clear path:
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| Clearer now |
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| Team Work! |
We continued clearing through the wooded area and then uphill eventually reaching the steps at the top end. We had time to strim the grassy path as it sloped uphill and to widen some sections.
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| Jan cutting back the foliage on the upper path. |
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| Foxgloves in abundance. |
