Windy Harbour.
On a gloriously calm day when the area was anything but 'Windy', Duncan and Frank H carried out extensive repair work on a failing stile that allows access towards the Bride Stones (see map).
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| 1. Work location: Blue 'pin' indicates stile off Windy Harbour Lane into open access. |
The original stile had several defects . . .
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| 2. Before picture: extensive rot in shorter side-post and a very wobbly taller side-post |
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| 3. Before picture: collapsed shorter side-post - not hard to guess the reason why! |
The work begins:
We decided, as an interim measure, to replace both side-posts, renew the cross-rails, cross-brace the existing step-legs, re-staple the stock fencing, add protective sleeving over the barbed wire, re-tension the barbed strand and re-fix signage . . . all a good spectator sport for determined walkers, gasping runners and wary wildlife . . . such as;
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| 4. Brown Hare - not uncommon on these moorlands. |
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| 5. Curlew: easy to hear but well camouflaged at ground level. |
Meanwhile, the old side-posts were wrestled out of the ground and new ones installed.
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| 6. "Is it vertical, Duncan?". . . "Never in doubt, Frank!" |
Some time later. . .
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| 7. End result (view from the lane): Cross-rails in place. Step-legs-braced. Barbed wire sleeved and re-tensioned. Signage replaced. |
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| 8. End result (view from field): |
We were pleased with the result of today's work. The side-posts, especially, are now deeply embedded and firmly packed to withstand enthusiastic handling by the many users of this surprisingly popular access point.
There is probably more to be done here - an extra stile-step on the field side to compensate for the considerable erosion that has taken place and several steps on the lane side to lead more easily up to the stile. These jobs are on the ever-lengthening list!
Today's work has been funded by 'Todmorden Wind Farm through CFFC' (Community Foundation For Calderdale). Many thanks.
More next week . . . in even more sunny weather?
