Saturday 31st May
Following a report that a piece of drystone wall had fallen on someone's foot beside a gated path near the campsite at the top end of Heptonstall village, Ginny and Neil D. went to investigate.
Sure enough, part of the wall had collapsed, in fact more into the paddock adjacent to the path than on the path itself. Most likely, we concluded (from the evidence of a much-chewed post and rail fence in the same corner of the paddock adjacent to the gate), a result of 'over-interest' from the horses which we presumed would normally be kept there.
We removed some loose stones and, enjoying the challenge of a 3D jigsaw puzzle in stone, managed to rebuild the wall with the coping stones back on top to help bind the lower course firmly in place. We manoeuvred the heaviest stone of all - which was too heavy for us to lift anyway! - closer to the foot of the wall in the hope that it would stop the horses getting too close and leaning on our rebuilt section of wall and pushing the stones out of place again!
Hopefully the reconstructed bit of wall will withstand nuzzling examinations by horses in the future, and no more walkers' toes will be harmed by stones falling off onto the footpath on the other side!!
