Still plenty to do within this woodland. Today, Jak, Jerry and Angus set about finishing small jobs on the paths previously worked on - replacing way-marking posts and removing fallen branches. This only took a couple of hours, so we set about surveying the remaining pathways to get an idea of the amount of work left to do. As with the previous jobs in Rough Hey Wood, this work has been funded by a generous donation from the Russell family to whom we are extremely grateful.
The map below shows, highlighted in green, the paths where we have we have undertaken work, cutting back, fitting revetments and boardwalks, replacing steps and repairing/replacing stiles. The sections highlighted in red we surveyed today to produce the next work schedule. It's more of the same!
Once completed, this will give walkers several options of circular routes within the woods as well as link paths from the Riverside path in Rishworth/Ripponden through to Sowerby Bridge and also several access points from the valley bottom up onto Norland Moor . . . and beyond! Could this network have the potential for another walks leaflet ???
The observant will have noticed that a middle section of the path between Highlee Clough and Rough Hey has not been worked on or surveyed. To explain this anomaly: The Ordnance Survey map below shows the old quarry site, circled in blue, where the path has started to subside. This dangerous section has been cordoned off by Calderdale Council. With this in mind, we are looking to guide walkers away from this section, by making the parallel paths more accessible and easier to use.
Hopefully this makes sense! As to today's work - firstly a damaged fingerpost was repaired using our trusted "splinting" method. This post was positioned where the path into the woods leads off from the Calderdale Way.
Jak putting the final touches to the repaired fingerpost.
Post in place and standing proud . . . .
. . . . whilst overhead, a skein of geese made their way North (ish).
Further along the path we encountered several fallen branches from last week's storm. These were dismantled and removed. The going was somewhat treacherous in places due to the wet and muddy conditions (and the slippery, fallen leaves didn't help). However, we could identify where high-level cutting back was required and where steps were needed, the latter where run-off from the fields had turned the path into a quagmire.
Additionally, we replaced a rotten waymark and inspected an old stile (this we plan to replace with a gate recycled from a previous job). Watch this space for an update, . . . there could be some interesting discoveries!
Jerry getting to grips with one of several fallen branches.
New waymark post fitted below Butterworth Farm.
Rough Hey wood is criss-crossed with a wonderful network of paths. It's well worth a visit.
