Wednesday morning under threatening skies, finds Jerry and Steve repairing a stile on the moors above Cragg Vale. The stile is located at the upper end of Heseltine Lane where a footpath crosses from Bellhouse Moor down hill towards Higher Hill Farm and Cragg Brook. Heseltine Lane terminates at Bell House (of Coiners fame). The stile is approximately one quarter mile from the house and is situated on one of the local Coiners Walks. The work was funded by general donations to CROWS. Many thanks.
Location of the stile is circled in blue.
The stile, which has been altered several times, is built into the timber fence line of a sheep enclosure. The original profile of the stile was steep enough but recent modifications to create a single-step stile made it almost impossible to negotiate - the local landowner had introduced an extra top rail to prevent sheep escaping from the holding pen. A rebuild was required to allow a more comfortable (and safer) access.
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Partial construction underway. Ground conditions (a concrete slab) meant the steps were located close to an existing fence post.
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Image showing a larger projection of the treadboard on the field side.
Steve and Jerry planned to construct a 2-step stile to allow public access over the landowners fence. The landowner visited upon our arrival to check on our proposals and requested that the 2 steps within the holding pen project be as little as possible, as he needed to reverse his trailer whilst loading sheep.
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Completed stile showing a short treadboard projection to provide maximum vehicle clearance within the sheep pen.
Steve providing the necessary 'Health & Safety' test . . . all satisfactory.
