On a bitterly cold but dry day, a team of five CROWS (Duncan, Andrew, David, Kasher and RJ) returned to Langfield Common above the Shepherds' Rest to work on drainage and waymarking on both routes up to Gaddings Dam; the first via Jail Hole, on Tod 157, and the second via the Basin Stone on BW Tod 194 and FP Tod 155.
David and RJ walked the route via Jail Hole to finish off the work on the turnbys that was started last week. They then improved a stream crossing on the route along the ridge towards Stoodley Pike. Returning towards Gaddings, they re-instated the marker posts along this route. Inevitably they came across a number of tasks to add to that never-shortening "to do" list.
Kasher, Andrew and Duncan worked on the bridleway above Blarney Castle and tried to divert water off the causey stones by creating turnbys and clearing the existing ditches. At the four-way junction, they worked on FP Tod 155 (towards Gaddings) installing more yellow-topped posts to clarify the route.
Then we all went along the footpath from Gaddings to Warland (Tod 154) to check on the two boardwalks (built by CROWS in 2024 and 2025) and to improve the drainage near them. Hopefully, diverting water away from the line of the path the water will reduce the chance of the two boardwalks and the causey path being inundated.
Today's work has been funded by a generous donation from 'CraggRunner' from their "Moors the Merrier" event held earlier in December, (https://craggrunner.com/moors-the-merrier-20/).
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| A good day to be working on Langfield Common . . . at least there was no rain! |
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| The bridleway above Blarney Castle looking towards Stoodley Pike. |
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| Andrew making the pilot hole for a markerpost. |
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| Looking down towards Walsden. |
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| Andrew and Duncan firming up one of the original marker posts. |
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| The Basin Stone. |
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| Another yellow-topped post being installed. |
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| The first of the boardwalks/bridges - just clear of the 'sea' of wet peat. RJ and David in cautionary mode! |
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| Kasher deepening one of the drainage channels. |
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| Synchronised drainage . . . and it's good spacing with eyes on task and not on a distant Stoodley Pike. |
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| Andrew, surrounded by drainage channels . . . . . . Who said "No man is an island"? |
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| When the conditions are like this you can really see the need for these boardwalks/bridges. |
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| Basin Stone again . . . and David's the preacherman. |
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| Improving the drainage at the stream crossing above Jail Hole. |
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| Pinning the repaired turnby (on Tod 157) with metal pins. Hopefully, this will limit further damage by 'bikes' using this route. |
