A beautiful sunny day, saw Eleanor, Jak, Lynda, Graham, Jerry and Angus continue work on three areas of this path (see map below for details). The work to be done included rebuilding a stile, cutting back, repairing a damaged wall and constructing a small flight of steps.
As with previous work in this wood, funding has been provided by a generous donation from the Russell family. Many thanks.
Today's three work locations circled in blue.
Splitting into three teams, Jak and Angus finished the work started last Monday on stile 3. Today conditions were somewhat different - no rain and no mud! The job was to replace the temporary 'earth steps' (created last week by Richard) with a more permanent structure so as to improve the access too/from newly repaired stile 3.
Starting work on the steps leading to stile 3.
The completed steps will make a big difference; especially in wet conditions. The second task saw Eleanor and Lynda (assisted by Angus with an electric pole-saw) cut-back a dense canopy of holly between stiles 2 and 3. Removing this holly will let more light onto the path which had become very slippery due to rotting holly leaves and damp vegetation. This was a most rewarding . . . but somewhat prickly task!
The overgrown section of the path between stiles 2 and 3.
Lynda and Eleanor getting to grips with cutting back the holly.
The holly now cleared and more light can now reach the path.Having finished with the steps and cutting back, Jak and Lynda now tackled a partially collapsed field wall near stile 2. Stile 2 will be replaced at a later date but the end of the wall needed tidying to make it stock-proof. An amount of suitable stone was lying next to the wall and additional material could be recycled from an old completely collapsed wall.
The collapsed wall end. The derelict Stile 2 can just be seen on the left.
Wall now made much tidier. A support post for the stock fencing will be installed later.
Biggest job of the day fell to Jerry and Graham (with assistance from Angus). This was to replace Stile 1 at the start of the footpath off Highlee Lane. The stile was unstable and in very poor condition having been patched-up with various bits of wood, wire . . . and old carpet!!
View of Stile 1 from above taken during the survey.
Removing the old stile was fairly straightforward as there was little holding it together. The first reconstruction challenge was to to dig through this particularly hard, stony corner of the field to embed the various posts required for a two-step stile c/w dog-gate.
Two side-uprights in place and secure.
Treadboard legs in place . . . and was that ground hard!
Fixing the the treadboards.
Stile 1 looking from HighLee Lane towards Rough Hey Wood.
