With the sun shining and Autumn in the air, the team consisting of Eleanor, Jak, Jerry, Richard, Duncan, Pete and Angus headed back to Rough Hey Woods to replace the stile at the top of the woods next to the grazing pasture below Butterworth End Farm. A thankyou to the owners of Butterworth End Farm for allowing us to park in their yard to access the job.
Along with the stile, there was further revetment sections to be fitted where the path had narrowed and started to erode. There was also a section of cutting back to do which will be continued next week along with updated waymarking. As with the previous work done in this wood, it has been funded by a donation from the Russell family. Many thanks to them for their kind donation.
Location of today's work circled in blue.
Splitting into three teams; Eleanor and Richard started cutting back, Jak and Jerry worked on the revetment while Pete, Duncan and Angus tackling the stile. As new volunteers, this was Pete and Duncan's fourth session. We hope they have enjoyed their 'probation' and will become regular CROWS.
Eleanor and Richard getting to grips with cutting back in beautiful conditions.
Revetment work underway which will improve access and extend the life of the path.
The biggest job of the day was to replace the stile and make it safe for users travelling in both directions. The stile was located at the top of a ridge above a flight of recently replaced steps and although the access from below wasn't too bad, from above it was somewhat daunting, in that you looked straight over the ridge and down onto the steps. This had led to walkers avoiding the stile and steps completely and taking their chances on the slope to one side - a somewhat dangerous option in the wet.
The original stile: well-built but a bit of a challenge to negotiate.
The view from below showing the drop to the steps (now replaced).
Once the old structure had been removed, we set about building a new stile. Digging out was particularly difficult as the ground was very hard, dry and stony. The stile was originally on a boundary line and there were remnants of an old barbed wire fence which we decided not to replace. Instead we installed short sections of fence on either side of the stile to deter walkers from creating an alternative route down the slope.
Duncan and Pete excavating postholes (in less than ideal conditions!)
Getting there - Duncan checking levels . . . and ready for lunch.
Under glorious blue skies we stopped for a well-earned lunch break.
A couple of hours later and the stile work is completed. This is the view from below ..
.. and from above. A job well done with access for those with two legs or four!
Group photo for Countryfile Magazine
This is just a great blue-sky photo
