Blackshaw Head: stile
In idyllic conditions, Jan, Neil D and Frank H rebuilt the ruined stile where a right-of -way (Blackshaw 015) leads off the junction of New Shaw Lane and Brown Lane. The 'helping hand' given by the landowner was most welcome. Thank you.
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1. The 'blue index' marks the worksite.
(purple dashes show footpaths; green dashes show bridleways) |
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| 2. The old 'stile' and the new plan. |
The original single-step stile had a rotten cross-rail, and one broken step-leg, and was missing both a treadboard and a side-post. The gate hinge-post that doubled as a side-post for the stile was slightly loose. The ground was very stony and sloped down into the field as well as left to right (as in picture 2)
The order of tasks was to cut back ground growth, firm up the gatepost, remove the cross-rails, install step legs, install a side-post, fix cross-rails, add a treadboard, embed a step up/step down stone on the field side, and level and landscape as needed.
Here's the progress:
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2. Neil on cross-rail removal.
Has he struck a power cable!? |
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| 3. First leg-hole begins. |
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| 4. Only another 750 mm to go! |
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| 5. Double-digging? Two holes on the go at once. |
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| 6. The field-side leg being installed to the correct level. |
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| 7. Temporary progress but looking good. |
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| 8. Bottom rail in place. Lamb-proof gaps near the base. |
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| 9. Treadboard being positioned prior to screwing in place. |
The job is nearly finished but we have to ask the vital questions; "Is it user friendly?" "Will it take a load?" and "What do the scrutiny panel think?" Here are the answers . . .
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10. "Easy for a dog like me! Perhaps a
landing stone here would help!" |
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| 11. "85 kg. Not a wobble . . . and a useful grab-pole." |
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| 12. "Excellent job! It'll see us out!" |
We were pleased with the end result. Some of the digging was difficult because we were building into the remnants of an old wall . . . but vigorous battering with a heavy bar did the trick. The stile is structurally sound, user friendly and aesthetically pleasing. It should give years of service but . . . the only caveat is that, in winter, traffic coming down the steepish hill can (in icy conditions) fail to negotiate the bend. Whoops! In which case the stile becomes a useful crash barrier!
Today's work was funded by Blackshaw Head Parish Council. Many thanks for your support.
