Sunny Bank and Lower Lumb
On a humid day with the light rain persistent and the midges even more so, Kasher, Steve P, Ian S and Frank H worked as two pairs on the problematic steps and overgrown paths in the Sunny Bank area.
The main tasks for the day were to:
i) improve access up the stone steps from the metalled road on to the path (Hebden Royd 086) that eventually runs behind the Sunny Bank buildings.
ii) replace any of the damaged wooden steps on this access flight.
iii) cut back overgrown sections of the path
iv) carry out similar cutting back at Lower Lumb
This work was funded by a donation from The Calder Valley Fell Runners. Thank you.
The detail
1. The stone steps.
This was the situation before work started:
The steps (just visible) are covered by rampant growth and partly buried by debris. Four of the posts in the picture are loose or rotten! Ascending these steps requires a good sense of balance and minimal trust in anything vertical! The descent is an even more precarious activity!
Here's how work progressed:
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| Foliage cut-back and substantial platform steps being revealed. |
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| Two new 'grab' posts already in place. Section of fencing being reconfigured. Humidity increasing!. |
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| Difficult to spot, but new vertical posts for the fence are in place and further support is being provided by a cross-brace to the side fence. |
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| End product: clear steps, stable grab-posts and secure fencework. |
2. Meanwhile, work was being done to replace wooden steps and to cut back encroaching growth on the above path, and also on one further up the 'road' by Lower Lumb. (Hordes of enthusiastic combat midges meant that only a few pictures were taken!)
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| Work in progress: Rotten risers out and new ones in. |
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| Overgrown path. Awkward access has limited the amount of footfall. |
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| Cleared path: View down towards the stone steps. |
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| A path: A path? Where is it? . . . |
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| . . . Somewhere! Along here, we think! |
It was quite a tiring day. The work on the stone steps was not straightforward and a few technical 'tricks' were required to get a satisfactory outcome. Although the rain eventually petered-out, the midges were persistent - "they come not single spies but in battalions!" The solution to the latter was minimum exposure of skin and maximum application of 'Jungle Quality' insect repellent - it nearly worked!.
Many thanks to local householders for allowing us to park close by and for providing us with a timely brew - both much appreciated.
