Cragg Vale - a boardwalk to the permissive.
It was a cool day with the temperature at - 2oC for Ian S and Frank H to solve the problem of a sagging boardwalk-cum-bridge that gives access from Clough Foot Bridge to the delightful permissive path that goes alongside Cragg Brook. (see map)
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| 1. Map: The blue tag marks the spot! |
The rain that was forecast never appeared and, as the sun broke through, temperatures crept up into low single figures - ideal conditions for working hard!
The detail.
The original 1.2 m length of boardwalk-cum-bridge that spanned a minor gully was sloping, sagging, wobbly and very slippery. Usually CROWS would opt to 'dig-out, remove, level and replace' but in this case, because the fragile banking might have become de-stabilised, it was decided to leave the existing 'bridge' undisturbed and construct a longer one (almost double length) over the top of it!
The work begins:
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| 2. Original bridge: Not level and good at sagging and wobbling! |
A short replacement bridge was partly pre-constructed in the workshop (a more sheltered and marginally warmer location!) and many timbers (cross-treads, kickboards, edge-trims) were pre-drilled ready to accept fixings.
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| 3. Basic pre-constructed framework: a longer bridge with new bearers . . . and alignment being checked by Ian. |
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| 4. An hour or so later: Bridge anchored by stobs, cross-treads installed, side-trims nailed in place and Ian adding staples to improve underfoot grip. |
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| 5. New over old |
But . . . i) is the bridge level? and ii) will it take a load?
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| 6. i) Level? . . . you bet it is! |
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| 7. ii) Take a load? . . . of course it will. |
