Granny Wood:
Frank H and Frank S continued the work started last month (see blog for June 18th) in Granny Wood where the footpath (Hebden Royd 003) that leads off the main road at Mytholm takes a sharp right hand bend after about 75 m. (see map)
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| 1. Map: the blue 'pin' marks the worksite. |
At this point a step with a stone riser has become misaligned and a significant part of the retaining wall has collapsed. The overall plan was to improve the access to the west-east section of path by constructing two steps with a foot-friendly tread area and to continue with the rebuild of the dilapidated retaining wall.
The detail.
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| 2. Original stone step riser. |
Negotiating the 'hairpin' of path at this point is tricky especially as the banking to the right is in a state of collapse. Walkers have been ignoring the path direction and sliding down the the bank where the retaining wall used to be.
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| 3. Partly rebuilt retaining wall |
Just visible in the mid-right of picture is the start that CROWS made to patch-up the retaining wall.
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| 4. End of session. |
Perspective is tricky, but two new steps have been constructed and the retaining wall has been increased in height before being capped-off with top stones. Driving pilot holes for the wooden stobs that hold the risers in place was an energy-sapping exercise as the ground was a dense compaction of roots and embedded rocks. Sweat flowed freely - many midges were drowned!!
Suitable stone for the low wall was in short supply as much of the original material had disappeared down the banking or been incorporated into other structures. However, scouring the area for oddments that were not part of an existing wall or buttress yielded just enough stone to patch up the wall/step corner. The end result was not the most elegant of structures but it is very stable and tightly interlocked.
Today's work was funded by general donations to CROWS through 'Just Giving'. Many thanks for your support. For readers new to CROWS, information on how to donate is available on our website.
