Wadsworth:
1. Dog-gate near Seed Hill
On a very chilly morning, Paul and Frank H (aka 'the dog-gate duo') tackled the puzzle of adding a dog-gate to an existing stile on the footpath (right-of-way Wadsworth 077) which is about 150 m south of Seed Hill (see map).
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| 1. Map: R-o-W Wadsworth 077 off Rowlands Lane near Seed Hill. Blue tag marks the stile. |
This work was funded by the residents of Seed Hill. Many thanks.
The detail.
The original fencework, just to the right of the stile steps, looked like this:
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| 2. Position for dog-gate: |
Problems were: very rocky ground where the dog-gate side-posts needed to go, a missing cross-rail, a broken lower rail, a damaged stockfence and misaligned fence and stile timbers.
The plan was to insert new rails to match the original structure, install a lift-type dog-gate and re-fix the stockfence where possible. Mmm! Interesting tasks with frozen fingers but the work begins . . .
However, by lunchtime:
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| 3. i Stockproof but dog-friendly: Extra cross-rails and dog-gate in place. |
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| 4. ii Stockproof but dog-friendly. |
The additional timbers are vertical or horizontal as needed. Unfortunately, the original stile structure is not quite to the same standard! However the stile steps (out of shot to right of above picture) are safe to negotiate and the dog-gate works beautifully.
2. Dog-gate near Hurst Road
The move down to Hurst Road had three benefits - it was warmer (only -1oC according to the thermometer), more sheltered and the job was similar . . . but simpler.
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| 1. Map: This popular stile (blue tag) gives access to the path (Wadsworth 081) that leads up the hillside to the East of Fearney Fields |
Below is the original two-step stile. The dog-gate will be fitted to the right of the steps and near to the (not quite vertical) stockfence post.
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| 2. Two-step, four cross-rail stile. |
The wire stock fence is very good quality and has been correctly tensioned by the original installers. Our plan was to maintain the integrity of this structure but at the same time create the dog-hole by removing part of the third rail down.
Some time later:
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| 3. Finished product: Up-slope view from walled ginnel that gives access from Hurst Road |
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| 4. Afternoon tea-break? Mmm! Perhaps not! |
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| 5. Tidying-up work: view from Fearney Fields' side. |
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| 6. Testing! Testing! It works . . . . . . but where has the dog gone! |
Overall this was a successful day's work. Although some compromises had to be made because of stony ground, quirks of the original timbers and (especially for stile 1) defects in the stockfence, we were pleased with the eventual outcome. The 'lifts' function smoothly to allow dogs to come and go (under close control, we hope) yet when 'down' act as a barrier to livestock.
The work for this dog-gate was funded by General Donations to CROWS. Many thanks.
