TODMORDEN: Staveley Cote (near Great Rock) stylish stile!

 Staveley Cote: the dilapidated - a resurrection job.

The day was ideal for Ken, David and Frank H to work on the 'stile' where footpath Blackshaw 056 meets the access track to Staveley Cote (see map)

1. Map: The blue 'pin' marks the work site. 

Following the workaday delights of ideal temperature and magnificent views towards Stoodley Pike we had an extra bonus - the timber and tools could be unloaded within a metre (!) of the job. No long carries. Hooray!

Funding towards this work was provided by Calderdale Ramblers. Many thanks.

The details.

The original access from field to track seemed to have been by clambering over a low wooden stile-bar near a semi-collapsed wall but more recent efforts had obviously involved squashing down a section of stockfence and its barbed top-wire. 

2. Before work began: View from track-side.
Mmm! We've seen better construction!

This section of fence has had a hard life! Posts are rotten and out of line. The 'stile-like' structure to the left of picture is unstable, The wire fence and its barbed top-wire are badly fitted and lack tension. Overall it barely functions as a livestock barrier and fails to offer a reasonable right-of-way.

What to do? After some discussion we decided to construct a 'standard' two-step stile (positioned approximately in centre picture) then patch-up and re-tension stock fencing across the gaps on either side using new or re-positioned posts as required.

Time to start digging . . .

3. View from track-side: Good alignment
now, avoids a lot of problems later on!

4. View from field-side: Old fence temporarily 
removed. Holes dug and stile side-posts
deeply and firmly embedded.

5. View from field-side: three step legs embedded
with hole number four a work in progress.

The step legs were cross-braced; treadboards were nailed in position; cross-rails were fixed in parallel; the stock fence to left (as in the above picture) was secured and re-tensioned; the stock fence to the right was similarly treated (new fence post needed); a waymark disk was affixed and finally a grab post was screw-bolted to the taller of the stile posts. Phew! Lots of sweat and a long day. . .  but what was the outcome? . . .

6. View from track-side: Hard to see but wire fencing
blocks the' gap' to right of picture. This is where
a dog-gate could be fitted if requested..

7. View from field-side: Ken's final assessment.
Pass or fail? The excitement mounts!

Today was hard graft but despite a couple of glitches and a lot of finicky work involving the stock fences we were pleased with the outcome. The changes from picture 2 to picture 6 are impressive - there might be some creaking tomorrow . . . but it won't be the stile!