TODMORDEN - Portsmouth, Cornholme and Walsden areas

 There were three teams out from Todmorden today:

Team 1: Andrew and Gareth were working adjacent to the county boundary. The team were improving steps on the path alongside Beaters Clough which then crosses Greens Clough (Tod 068), It's a long long way away from the road! See separate blog post.

Team 2: Catherine and Kasher initially acted as porters for Team 1, to make sure that we carried all the necessary timber and tools to the top of Greens Clough. We then returned to Knotts Road in Cornholme to install two shallow steps on Tod 087. Constructing steps on a very stony hillside was an interesting challenge. It was a good job that we had the ultra heavy bar today (apologies to Catherine who volunteered to carry it and to use it!).

Team 3: Ken and Mick went to the Cranberry Dam area to survey stiles which allow entry to the open access area. CROWS have received a grant from Todmorden Wind Farm, through the Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC) to repair or replace stiles and access points leading into open access areas between Portsmouth and Walsden. While in the Cranberry Dam area the team made further improvements to a ladder stile which was worked on few weeks ago and also carried out other repair and maintenance tasks. The team also sorted out the waymarking at the top of Inchfield moor (where the path goes over the cattlegrid). This post seems to suffer significant abuse from the back-scratching moorland cattle! Finally the team replaced one step on Tod 102 above the Mellings Clough stream crossing.

Today's work has been funded by Cornholme Wreath Making Workshop (Dec 2024) for the work near Knotts Road; by Todmorden Wind Farm (through CFFC) for the survey near Cranberry Dam; by Todmorden Council for the step repairs at Greens Clough and Mellings Clough; and by individual donations to CROWS for all other work. Many thanks to all.

Team 2:

The location of the steps installed on Tod 087 off Knotts Road.

The first step in place.

Heavy bar in action: Catherine making the holes for the stobs.

Two steps neatly in place.

A haircut for the path near to Knott Road.

Team 3:

Surveying plus repairs and maintenance work near Cranberry Dam.

A few stiles (and boardwalks) in need of replacement.

Some of these stiles have seen better days.

Waymarking completed . . . the cattle are on their
way to inspect the work.

One step replaced above Mellings Clough.

TODMORDEN - Green’s Clough above Portsmouth

Today’s job for Andrew & Gareth gave us that “away from it all” feeling, as it started with a 45 minute uphill walk with timber & tools to the worksite at Green’s Clough high above Portsmouth.  Fortunately Kasher & Catherine joined the carrying party before departing to their own job.

At a sharp uphill stretch at a junction in the clough, we needed to uncover and repair some overgrown steps and also construct some new steps where the path had started to fall away into the clough.  The original plan was to put in some wooden steps, but so many large flat stones were dug up that we ended up installing some robust stone steps instead.  We also started work to improve the crossing of the clough further upstream by widening the path.

We will need to return to this site to complete the work on these steps and revetments.

Today’s work was funded by Todmorden Town Council.  Many thanks as always.

What we in CROWS call “a long carry”.

Somewhere here are some steps.

Some of the steps have been washed away.

The old steps uncovered.

And the new steps.

TODMORDEN - Strimming at Greystone Lane

The stimming of overgrown footpaths continues. Today RJ, David and Kasher spent the day strimming and cutting back a number of footpaths near Greystone Farm: Tod 011 (Greystone Lane), Tod 010 near  Chapel House and Tod 011 near Mount Pleasant.

We were pleased to see that a some intrepid walkers have actually managed to walk along Greystone Lane. Well done! Hopefully today's cutting back will make life a little easier. However, take care along this route as there are many drainage channels are hidden by low ground cover vegetation.

Today's work has been funded by Todmorden Town Council. Many thanks.

The blue dot marks the location of Greystone Lane.

RJ, heavily ladened, walking up the track to
start today's work.

Kasher strimming the lower reaches of Greystone Lane.

Tod 011: Greystone Lane. It's a jungle - machete would be useful!

Opening up Tod 011.

Tod 011 is now passable.

Waist deep on Tod 011 near Mount Pleasant! 

Tod 011 near Mount Pleasant now cleared.

Greystone Lane: Yes! This is a right-of-way!

 Greystone Lane now easier to negotiate.

DODD NAZE AND OLD TOWN

 Dodd Naze and Old Town Village

Ian S and Paul were out today undertaking two jobs in separate locations. The first task was to finish a flight of steps above the Dodd Naze Estate and the second task was to repair a finger-post in Old Town Village.

Dodd Naze Steps: location map

Old Town finger-post map

The Dodd Naze work was funded by "Picture This" while the Old Town finger-post repair was funded by Wadsworth Parish Council. Thank you to both.

Dodd Naze Steps: This job was a continuation and completion of the work that was started two weeks ago. Additional steps were fitted at the bottom end of this wide curving flight that leads up to Rowlands Lane from the top of the estate.

Where we finished 2 weeks ago

Where our last session finished there was quite a steep section so we installed two new shorter length steps to create an easier passage for walkers.

Two new steps installed.

The infill was sourced from further up the path but once this has bedded-in we will return to see if a top up is needed.

Old Town finger-post repair:

A fingerless post!

This is on the path that links Billy Lane with Old Mill Ridge in the village centre. The old 'flag' had long since disappeared but a resourceful Todmorden colleague had provided us with a replacement. 

A rotted interior!

Unfortunately the interior rebated slot had rotted which meant it was impossible to slide the replacement flag into the original housing.

Ian doing some fixing!

 

The solution was to screw two additional pieces of wood onto the top sides of the post so the new flag could be slotted in and secured.

Completed!

We may need to return to paint it all one colour . . . !

SOWERBY BRIDGE - Boulder Clough

Today, Jerry and Frank S were out on the hillside above Boulder Clough where two finger-posts had been reported as out of place. The first post was where the bridleway (Sowerby Bridge 058) leaves New Lane. It had previously rotted at ground level and was too short to re-use as it was, but it could easily be extended by butt-joining an extra length of timber. The first two pictures show Frank checking it was upright before Jerry started filling the hole, and then the finished article standing vertical once more.

The second post was on the steep, narrow double-bend at Hollins Gate, where the footpath (Sowerby Bridge 061) joins Hollins Lane. The post had originally been in the ground, and then it had been screwed to the gate post, but when a new gate was installed it was left leaning against the wall. Once again we butt-extended the post and re-planted it in the ground. The photo shows the completed job.

This work was funded by public donations to CROWS. Thank you for your support. Thanks also to Hollins Gate for allowing us to park in their driveway, away from the very narrow road.