WARLAND and EASTWOOD ROAD

 There were three teams out from Todmorden today:

1    Frank H and Mick: surveying and waymarking rights-of-way above Warland. 

2    Ken and Catherine: fitting a dog gate adjacent to a stile and constructing three steps on Blackshaw 053 near Chisley Stones.

3    RJ and Kasher: continuing the 'endless' strimming of footpaths; this time on Tod 185 above Warland.

Today's work for task 1 was funded by Calderdale Council Highways; for task 2 by individual donations to CROWS and, for task 3, by Todmorden Town Council. Many thanks to all for continuing to support CROWS.

The detail:

Team 1:
Mick and Frank H ranged far and wide, up and down, through bog and pasture to check the waymarking of paths near Warland Farm, Knoll Top, Lodge Hall and Calf Lee. The map below shows the area covered:

Thanks to Mick's encyclopaedic knowledge and detailed 'mental map' of this interesting area, numerous paths were walked, waymarks added and stiles measured up for repair. The route up to and around Lodge Hall was particularly challenging as it consisted of awkward stiles linked by invisible paths!

Pictures of waymarks are not particularly exciting so none were taken (Mmm! - bit of an oversight!). However, the following capture a few moments of the day:

i). Above Warland Farm:

Who should we meet (on footpath Todmorden 185) but Team 3 - CROWS expert strimmers . . . already starting to perspire in the soaring heat.

Kasher on strimmer 1. 

RJ on strimmer 2.

More on strimming later . . .

ii). Knoll Top:

Upwards, then to Knoll Top Farm (impressively large dogs!) waymarking en-route, having discussions with landowners and measuring up stile repairs on Todmorden 148 . . . but more importantly, as temperatures nudged above 28 oC, finding time for a sit-down to review the next leg of the survey.

Mick checking the map against his memory . . . 
. . . or is it the other way around.

iii). Lodge Hall:

Footpath Todmorden 149 cuts across a meadow to go over a stile (not for the faint-hearted) then up through boggy ground to an equally awkward stile before looping around the back of Lodge Hall. Underfoot conditions were so tricky that we thought we were in a pantomine . . . and here are the horses to prove it . . . 

"What, no carrots?"

iv). Calf Lee

Calf Lee (even more impressively large dog) lies on the route of the Todmorden Boundary Walk (the event took place last weekend). The landowner allowed some re-routing so a particularly boggy section could be avoided. Rights-of- way through this area, mainly a continuation of Todmorden 148, are clearly indicated although, allegedly, the behaviour of a minority of walkers is less than acceptable.

Overall, this was a very hot, sunny day with splendid Upper Calder Valley views. A significant number of old faded waymarks were replaced and others added where clarity of route was needed. Some sections will need a re-visit to establish the exact line of the footpath. We plan to return . . . but odds on it will be raining!

Team 2:

During a recent work party CROWS were asked by the landowner to fit a dog-gate next to the stile at the end of Blackshaw 053 on Eastwood Road. He has had problems with the field gate being opened to let dogs through but then being left open with the disastrous result of sheep straying onto the road. With a dog-gate now installed, there should be no need to open the metal gate. 

We also constructed some steps to improve the approach to the stile (both for walkers and dogs) and, 'right on cue', a visiting canine appeared to check the effectiveness of our work!

The location of Blackshaw 053.

Before: pedestrian access over the stile but a steep
approach and no dog-gate.

Start of dog-gate fitting - under Ken's expert eye.

Approach-side view:
Nearly done - three steps constructed and dog-gate in progress.

Exit-side view: 
"Did I get through?" - not a problem!
"What did I think of the dog-gate?"- spot-on!

Team 3:

The CROWS team had worked on a nearby path last week to re-establish the route through the bracken.

The path goes from the canal side near Warland up to the shoulder of a hill and then splits, either going towards Bottomley or back on itself to come out above Warland. 

Tod 185.

This week's task was to complete the strimming of this relatively small network of paths. Unfortunately we were thwarted by a strimmer malfunction so at least one more session will be needed . . . thankfully the strimmer repair was sorted when we arrived back at base!

Before: It's a jungle . . . and yes, if you look closely, that is a stile!

After: Some time later -  a liberated stile!

RJ in full strimming mode on the grass path through the woodland.

A pathway gradually being cleared.

Many thanks to the owner of Warland Farm for allowing us to park in his yard. The shorter the distance we have to walk to the start point of a task, the better!