Brearley: Old stone steps and new wooden risers.
On a day when the threat of heavy rain never materialised, Ian S and Frank H worked in muddy, slippery conditions on the right of way (Hebden Royd 037 at Brearley bends) that goes from the Burnley Road to Lower Ewood (see map).
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| 1. Map: the blue index marks the worksite |
The plan was to clear debris from the existing stone steps and then, just beyond a one-step stile, start the installation of a flight of wooden steps up a muddy bank - one of those 'steeper than it looks' banks!
The details.
It was spades, azads, shears and loppers to the fore as bramble, tussocky grass and miscellaneous overgrowth was cut back from both sides of the stone steps.
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| 2. Stone steps before: Mmm! Generally messy! |
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| 3. Stone steps after: Clean as a whistle (more or less!) |
We also cleared overgrowth from the sides of the steep, slippery, glutinous path just beyond the stile so installation of wooden steps could begin.
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| 4. By lunchtime: four neat (but muddy) steps in place. |
The last step was not without its problems. Significant roots appeared just where risers and stobs had to be placed such that judicious sawing (hopefully with minimum disruption to the tree-root network and the mycorrhizosphere) was needed.
Post-lunch it was more of the same with the energy sapping tasks of digging, driving pilot holes and hammering stobs. However, despite the cramped and often awkward-angle working conditions further steps were installed to start a graceful sweeping curve up the bank.
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| 5. End of session. |
Up to four more steps may be needed and the tread areas would benefit from MOT or crusher-run infill. So far, so good - it's a work in progress.
