A return to this bridleway off Rochdale road leading out of Ripponden, we first worked here around 18 months ago, clearing out the watercourse to alleviate flooding on the path, cutting back low hanging branches and several sections badly overgrown with brambles. This initial work was done at the request of some local horse riders,0 as it gave them safe access off the A58 at a particularly fast bend.
Today, when Jak, Linda, Jerry and Angus arrived, it was apparent that the bridleway has had very little use by 2-legged, 4-legged or even 2-wheeled users, as it was well overgrown by the usual suspects. Today's work has been funded through donations to CROWS, a big thankyou to all who've donated.
The bridleway is shown in green.
The start, evidence of use, but only 50m's up to a path heading off to the right.
Jak and Linda head into the unknown!
Fortunately, the vegetation was relatively easy to clear, being mostly Balsam, nettles, grass and some stubborn sections of brambles. We soon cut our way through and opened up the full length of the bridleway, along the way we uncovered an overgrown bench, which was in remarkably good condition despite its age.
As if by magic, a bench appeared from the undergrowth!
Much better, the bridleway now fully cleared and accessible once again.
Start of the bridleway next to a nicely decorated phone box.
With this job completed in a couple of hours, we headed to Rough Hey wood to sort out a fallen branch and some issues on a stile, noticed when we took the "We In Front" group through the wood last month. The fallen branch was a rotten limb from a holly tree which had split and fallen across the path, passable with care but precarious and needing to be removed.
The fallen branch to be removed.
All clear, obstacle removed.
out which could catch the hand or clothing of an unwary walker, not the best. Our plan was to remove the wire and fit a second post on the other side of the wall onto which the wire would be attached. It looked as if this wire was to deter livestock from entering the adjacent field, but there was very little evidence of stock having been in the field this season.
There had also been a piece of wood fitted as a cross rail above the last rail fitted to the stile which made it difficult to cross safely, this will be replaced next week. When we replaced this stile and repaired the fallen wall next to it, we ensured that it was stockproof, safe, and considerably more robust than the construction it replaced.
CROWS make a point of ensuring that where stiles are repaired, or replaced, in fields where stock is likely to be held, any constructions are fit for purpose, safe and secure for both walkers and livestock, in many cases, better than the original they replaced.
Barbed wire hammered into the left upright, with an old piece of wood attached at a higher level making it difficult to cross the stile safely.
New post fitted, barbed wire secure and support spar attached.
