BOTTOMLEY and WARLAND

BOTTOMLEY and WARLAND

Today's team of RJ, Catherine, Gareth, Neil M and Kasher travelled to Peacock Lane in Bottomley and to Warland to work on two footpaths, Tod 144 and Tod 145. 

CROWS had worked on Tod 144 earlier in the year and were successful in making improvements to the drainage along this path.

Today's work was to strim and cut back the vegetation, deepen the drainage channels, unblock the drainage grills from the clough that feeds down into the lane, and to get rid of that pesky balsam! We also took the opportunity to replace a marker post and re-bed the loose PBW post spotted by Wednesday's work party.

In addition, we cleared another section of Tod 144 which is probably the steepest path in this part of Calderdale. It goes from the top of Peacock Lane to Allescholes Road and is not for the faint-hearted . . . .  although the plentiful supply of bilberries is a strong incentive! 

After a well deserved break, we moved on to Warland to start the cutting back and strimming of the bracken which was in danger of completely taking over Tod 145. There is more to do here and we will need to return - possibly next week.

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

Tod 144 off Peacock Lane, Bottomley.

Tod 145 through the bracken in Warland.

Catherine fighting through the balsam to the
start of the uphill path.

Steps now visible and a new marker post installed.

A view up the valley from Tod 144.

Neil M sorting out the drainage on Tod 144.

Neil M and Catherine - in camouflage! 

RJ contemplating how to attack the bracken.

The path now strimmed and widened.

The mosquito hat has been in use again.

TODMORDEN - Bottomley area

Another strimming Wednesday! 

RJ and Kasher returned to Bottomley to complete the strimming and cutting-back of a section of the Pennine Bridleway (Tod BW143). We also attacked a short but amazingly overgrown footpath (Tod FP 143). This path looked as if it had not been walked this year! Hopefully a radical haircut will encourage people to use this route, although care should be taken at the top end where the causey stones are worn and slippery.

A few more marker posts in this area would help . . . we will be back!

We then went to survey a nearby footpath (Tod 144 - between Rough Stones and Peacock Lane). CROWS worked on this path earlier in the year in an attempt to improve the drainage but the path is still very wet. We will return to strim this area and consider further improvements.

CROWS have again been 'contracted' to strim sections of the Pennine Bridleway in the Upper Calder Valley. Consequently, today's work on the PBW has been funded by Lancashire County Council. All other strimming and surveying work was funded by Todmorden Town Council. Many thanks to both authorities..

Strimming near one of the Summit Tunnel
ventilation shafts on the PBW.

One PBW sign in need of fettling
. . . or perhaps replacing.

RJ and an extremely overgrown
footpath. It's heavy-duty strimming time!

The end of the day feeling!

A path waiting for walkers and explorers.
Please use it!

After a radical cut back, the sign for TOD 143
is now visible from the road - so no excuses . . . 

TODMORDEN - Various and Rake Farm detail

 There were two teams out from Todmorden today:

Team 1: Frank H and Kasher went to install one upright near a gate in Shore Green. The saga of the day is the subject of a separate blog.

Team 2: The team of Neil Mc, Catherine, Gareth and Mick were working near Rake Farm on Todmorden 092 to:

• sort out a gate, its uprights and the trip hazard sheep netting
• improve the drainage
• install some marker posts and attach way markers

As with all work parties, we seem to discover even more work that needs CROWS' attention!

Team 1 will return to complete the work on the gate on Tod 060.

Team 2 will return to hang the gate (after it is repaired) and to install more marker posts.

Today's work has been funded by the landowner for the gate in Shore Green and by individual donations to CROWS. Many thanks.

Work near Rake Farm.

Drainage.

New way markers installed.

A gate and uprights which have seen
better days!

Mick and Neil Mc sorting out the uprights
and the sheep fencing.

New upright and way mark in place.
The gate will be repaired and returned.

Marker posts installed.

TODMORDEN - Ramsden Clough

After checking the weather forecast multiple times we decided not to undertake any stile construction tasks but to work instead on the steps at the upper end of Ramsden Clough on footpath Todmorden 133. Although the day started with very heavy rain, it ended with the beautiful blue skies of a fine Spring day.

A team of Mick, Neil M, Neil Mc, Catherine, David, Ken and Kasher spent the day carting bags of MOT up a very slippery hillside to fill in the steps which were built by a CROWS team a few months ago (October and November 2023). To improve the step treads 'geotextile' was put down before infilling with the aggregate.

We also did some cutting back along the route and sorted out a couple of drainage issues.

At the moment, the path from the bridge to the top gate is exceptionally muddy but it should dry out with a few days of fine weather.

We will return to put some side-pieces on the lower flight of steps and will infill these with the remaining MOT.

This work is being funded by a donation from the Todmorden Wind Farm Fund accessed through the 'Community Foundation for Calderdale'. Many thanks.

The flight of steps at the start of the day.

Ken starting to put down geotextile.

Ken and Neil M at work.

Well at least someone was happy! 

Neil M guarding the pile of MOT.

We worked to the sound of water in this 
majestic clough. If you look closely,
you will see the team on the far hillside.

Neil, Neil and Ken and the infilled steps.

BLACKSHAW HEAD - Near Rodmer Clough

A third visit to the footpath between Rodmer Clough Farm and Lower Fold (Heptonstall 025 . . . AKA Park Lane). 

 Today's team of Neil M and Kasher completed the following tasks:

a) Staples added to the new boardwalk

The old boardwalk (before).

The new boardwalk completed.

b) New yellow-topped posts installed to clearly mark the correct route (i.e. on the wall side and not the field side of the stream)

Neil attacking the tussocks... with
new yellow-topped posts visible.

c) Original surviving yellow-topped posts reinstated

d) Path widened by the side of the clough. This may need further work next Spring to counteract any further erosion.

e) Overhanging trees cut back

The very narrow path by the clough.

Neil widening the path and cutting
back the trees, bilberries and heather.

f) Drainage issues addressed.

Drainage issues on the path near the bridge.

Water now flowing off the path and 
into the clough.

Today's work was funded by Little Box Consulting. Many thanks.

CRAGG VALE: Castle Gate Dam . . . the final steps . . . and rails!

 Castle Gate Dam steps . .  . the final few!

It was a day of mixed fortunes in the form of intermittent rain, resistant ground, jammed drill and bending nails for Jerry and Frank H to put in a long shift to complete the work on the very top section of steps that lead up to Castle Gate from the downstream footbridge. 

Site of steps that exit on to Castle Gate

Today's work was to dismantle any old rotten structures, rebuild the fences and renew the remaining steps. Mmm! It was a long day!

This work has been funded by donations to CROWS. Many thanks.

The Detail.

1. Start of the day:

Here's how the last session finished.

The old steps!

These might look "not too bad" but every vertical post and every horizontal support has evidence of rot! The treadboards sag under load and feel very 'spongy'.

2. Work in progress.

New corner posts with single cross-
rails, and a new double cross-rail that
will support one end of the first step
up from the platform.

Wider view showing the two platforms
(built in the last session), all four new
corner posts and the beginnings of
new cross-rails.

3. End of session.

The end product. Evenly rising steps
now get walkers up to road level from
the path that ascends from the
footbridge over the dam leat. 

This was a long day for Jerry and Frank. It was nearly dark before we had finished because difficulties were encountered when sinking one of the corner posts into its optimum position, time was 'lost' un-jamming the hammer drill and sleety rain swept in ever-heavier bursts across the site.

However, we persisted and the smart looking outcome had its first tests by being easily negotiated by both a 7-year old and a 77-year old (one slightly more graceful than the other!).

There are a few extra touches needed - staples to improve underfoot grip, some minor packing and perhaps an intermediate support pole - but this durable structure is now secure, safe . . . and not unpleasing to the eye.

CRAGG VALE: Castle Gate Dam . . . more of the same!

Castle Gate Dam steps

A peculiar day for Angus, Jerry and Frank H to continue the work on the very top section of the path and steps that lead up to Castle Gate from the downstream footbridge. 

Why peculiar? The forecast was for torrential rain followed by heavy rain until mid-afternoon when the torrential rain would start again! What happened? Torrential rain then a 3 hour interlude of no rain before a torrential downpour. We used that micro-climate interlude to make progress.

Today's work was funded by donations to CROWS. Many thanks.

The Detail

1. The location:

As a reminder that Cragg Brook is not always a stream that meanders its gentle way to Mytholmroyd, here are a couple of 'brook-in-spate' pictures:

2. Start of work:

The top of the steps leading onto Castle Gate originally looked like this. There are some rotten, sagging steps and most uprights are seriously decayed at ground level!

Last week the lowest two planks were replaced
by a platform. This week the approach path will
be improved and a second level platform created.

3. Work in progress:

Two new approach steps in place with
 an extra section of revetment.

4. End of session:

First step-down to the path filled with
aggregate. Lower and second level
platforms in place with kickboards

Aerial view looking down from the lane
towards the footbridge.

The above needs clarification. The approach steps are new as are the two platforms. The lower (mid-picture) square-section fence post is new as is the square-section post in right foreground. All the other fence rails and posts are old structures that have been temporarily stabilised pending replacement and re-alignment in our next working session.

We are pleased with the outcome so far. It is always satisfying when the decayed and rickety can be replaced by the sound and stable!

The final end product should be secure, safe, durable and easy to use. All will be revealed after the next session!