Colden: Down, down, down from Shaw Bottom Farm!
On a day of light patchy drizzle, Steve, Jan and Frank worked on a short (very short!) section of the Pennine Way that coincides with Right of Way Blackshaw 028. (see map)
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| 1. The worksite: Down from Shaw Bottom to the blue 'pin' |
The task was to clear all path surfaces and adjoining walls of invasive growth (bracken, bramble, birch sprigs and miscellaneous weeds) so walkers on this popular path to Hebble Hole would have a safer journey. It might look to be a short distance on the map but it is steep terrain mainly consisting of stone steps!
The Detail.
Start of session . . .
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| 2. Narrow walled-path: overgrowth is rampant! |
The work begins . . . Overgrowth is cut-back, dug-out and weeded before surface mulch is either scraped or brushed away.
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| 3. Top section - clean as a whistle! |
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| 4. Middle section: more of the same. |
In some places we left foxglove plants undisturbed. They produce a vivid Spring/Summer display at the edges of such paths and provide a colourful contrast to the side-walls. A warning, however. As attractive as foxgloves may seem, most of the plant is toxic! (Try an on-line search to find the interesting range of side effects!)
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| 5. More walled-path: 'sample' foxgloves left in place. |
Nearer to Colden Water, the path goes very steeply down a long, long flight of stone steps. Despite being overgrown and heavy with weeds, the steps were stable and in good (ish) condition. We cut-back, scraped, brushed and did some minor in-filling with aggregate to give widened access.
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| 6. Stone steps (lots of them) cleared! |
Clearing tasks sometimes reveal a curiosity! To one side of the path, completely buried in a massive tangle of overgrowth, was a stone platform and three stone supports for a stone 'bench' (see pictures). It's placed where weary travellers half-way up the steps could rest and enjoy the view down to Hebble Hole.
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| 7. Stone seat being revealed . . . |
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| 8. . . . . and here it is! |
The seat of the stone bench is missing. Restoration might be a task suitable for CROWS.
Many thanks to the owners (AKA Jan and Jan) at Shaw Bottom Farm for the parking facilities and the post-work tea and scones (plus jam!) a very tasty end to a successful day.
