A team of three (Catherine, Duncan and Kasher) returned to the Stones area today to sort out a fence/stile which we had hoped to have done in advance of the Todmorden Harriers National Fell Race held in mid October.
We had previously sorted out and replaced a number of stiles and gates along this route (Tod 102) and this was the final one (for now) on our "To Do" list.
The stile itself was merely a set of large stone steps surrounded by a fence of varying degrees of decrepitude. The field crossing looks to have previously been a kissing gate with the metal uprights still in position (but far from vertical).
This was another of the "just" jobs........ just remove the old timbers and replace them. However the ground conditions were far from ideal and it took an age to get the new wooden uprights into position and aligned. It's always so much harder replacing or renewing structures than it is building a new stile etc.
The new structure is now in place and should keep the sheep in the correct fields whilst still being easy for walkers and their accompanying dogs to navigate.
Many thanks to the landowner for allowing us to access this stile by a shortcut through his fields, Thanks also to Todmorden Town Council for funding today's work party and construction.
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| The blue "pin" marks the location of today's work. |
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| The stile (Tod side)... before. |
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| The stile (Sourhall side)... before. |
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| Duncan getting the first of the uprights into position. |
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| Duncan and Catherine sorting out the alignment of the uprights. This was made more complicated by the metal posts still in position and the wide wall footings. |
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| The second upright now in position. Now it's time for the rails... |
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| Two uprights and half the rails in position. A third upright was added. This was used to affix the lower rails. |
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| Catherine removing the excess rails. |
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| Catherine and Duncan adding in rails to block off the space between the upright and the stone wall. |
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| Nearly finished. View from Sourhall side. |
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| Views of the Tod Moor wind turbines from the worksite. |
