Hebden Bridge: Erringden Dick's Lane

 Dick's Lane - boardwalks in the sun!

On a ideal, blue-skied South Pennine day, a team of six CROWS (Stella, Jan, Andy, Nic, Neil B and Frank) carried out boardwalk replacement and stabilising work on a stretch of path (Erringden 012) that is part of a popular route for the ascent to or descent from Stoodley Pike.

This boardwalk job was funded by Calderdale Highways who have the unenviable tasks of monitoring Calderdale's massive and intricate  rights-of-way network.

1. East (ish) of the Pike: the blue 'pin' marks the work area

The detail:

Preliminaries:

Earlier in the week, Stella and Frank moved (in Stella's car) all the prepared timbers from the Mytholmroyd depot to Lower Rough Head Farm.

2. It's a full boot . . .

3. . . . and a full roof!

From the farm, it was loaded into a trusty Landrover and transported to Swillington then up (on ever rougher tracks) to the worksite.

4. Loaded Landrover: Stringers, bearers, stobs,
cross-treads, kickboards and oddments!

5. At the site: timbers under cover. Perhaps as well -
the rain the following day was torrential!

Two days later, the work gang with a heavy load of tools and fixings met at Swillington where once again Lower Rough Head provided transport up to Dick's Lane. Many, many thanks to the owners for this invaluable help - it saved us hours of carrying!

6. Safely delivered! Many thanks.

The detail:

The lengths of boardwalk on this right-of-way have had heavy use over the past 10 years. The structure is on a popular walking route and (even though it is designated as a footpath and not a bridleway)  has seen much use by mountain bikers. Consequently, the following has happened:

i)  one section of boardwalk is broken in half! Mmm!  (complete replacement needed).

ii) three sections are unstable (improved underpinning, replacement of cross-treads, levelling and additional stobs needed)

The work begins:

7. Broken boardwalk: End section missing
and the rest collapsed into the bog.

8. Out with the broken boardwalk:
some cross-treads will be reused.

9. Out with the old stobs (the anchoring
stakes for the old boardwalk).

The new boardwalk takes shape. It'll have a similar design to the old one so some timbers can be recycled and will consist of two parallel stringers, evenly spaced cross-treads, substantial bearers, kickboards and anchoring stobs.

10. "Is it stable? Will it take a load?" 
"Never in doubt!"

11, Well on the way: Cross-treads will
be a mixture of old and new.

12. Break time: Yummy! Courtesy of Jan.
A welcome 'sugar rush'! Thank you.

13. Repair work: Levelling up, re-stobbing
and then replacing rotten cross-treads.

14. Support work: Sagging stringers re-aligned on
stone and timber piers. Extra long stobs
embedded to reduce boardwalk bounce!

This was an enjoyable and successful day. The weather was finer than the pictures suggest. Stoodley Pike had numerous visitors many of whom expressed interest in and thanks for CROWS' work.

For the tasks, we worked (in the main) as two groups with Andy and Frank constructing then installing the new boardwalk while Stella, Neil, Jan and Nic levelled, stabilised and repaired the other sections. Neil enjoyed his first session with CROWS . . . and will back for more!

                                   (Other pictures will be added as they become available)

CRAGG VALE - around and about

 Andy, Ginny and Rich had five jobs to sort:

• A drainage problem and waymarking near Stoney Royd Farm
• A reported problem with a kissing gate at New Bridge
• Drainage on the riverside path near Clough Bridge 
• Levelling a path and sorting a collapsed stile on the riverside path towards Dauber Bridge 

Today's work was funded by a generous donation from Cragg Vale Community Association. 

PATH ALONG THE EDGE OF BELL HOUSE MOOR

A lovely path connecting Heseltine Lane and Dick's Lane - the most amazing views of the valley!

The path was sinking into the mire in a couple of places. In one place we were able to uncover some sunken stones to create a dry route. In both spots we needed to direct people towards the wall to access a relatively dry route. 

 DRAINAGE ON THE RIVERSIDE PATH

A periodic visit to clear out a ditch that was over-topping onto the path -it should dry out soon! Extra waymarking was done at the path junction. 

PATH LEVELLING AND STILE SORTING

The narrow path heading towards Dauber Bridge was tricky to walk along. The bank was cut back and made more level. Further along, the stile had totally collapsed across the path. The post and rails were removed as it was no longer needed for stock control. 

 

 

PENNINE WAY AT CALLIS WOOD

 A short footpath cuts the corner of the track through Callis Wood. The path is on a slope, which was manageable until its use in a wet January (on the Montane Spine Race  trashed it into a muddy slide. 

The task for Ian S, Steve, Jan and Rich was to put in two flights of steps in order to prevent further erosion. This work was funded by a partnership between Calderdale Council Highways and Natural England (not the race organisers).

 The few remaining steps at the top of the slope were repaired and a new set of 'edged' were installed to cope with the incline. A new drain was also added to reduce further water erosion. 

Laying out and fixing the edges

Securing the frame with hex screws

 

A couple of walkers tested the work to their satisfaction

 

Meanwhile, further down the path a short steep slope was dealt with.

 Many thanks to the landowner for providing access to the path. 

TODMORDEN and ERRINGDEN

 There were two teams out from Todmorden today:

Team 1: Ken and RJ completed the revetments (on Erringden 026) in Parrock Wood. On this path, there were initially three sections of revetment immediately before the bridge. We have now put in nine sections and have widened the path. This makes access to the bridge and the hillside beyond (which is a lovely bluebell wood) much easier and safer.

Team 2: Andrew, Catherine, David and Kasher worked on Long Lane/ Bean Hole bridleway (Tod BW 031)) to clear years (and years!) of mud and mulch from the worst sections. We were amazed to find a fantastic stoned surface below the accumulated mud, leaf mould and horse manure!

We also tried to sort out the stream which crosses the track at the far end of bridleway . . .  this is still a 'work in progress'.

Many thanks to the residents of Bean Hole Head for allowing us to park in their yard, just metres away from the start of the bridleway.

Today's work has been funded by individual donations to CROWS and by Cragg Runners' "The Moors the Merrier" event in late 2025.

We will need to come back to remove the mud and mulch at the end of this route nearest to Matthew Lane . . .  and to have another go at sorting out the stream!

Team 1:

The location of the work on the revetments near Parrock Clough.

The revetment and path a month ago . . .

The widened and levelled path with revetments.

The improved path before the stile.

Team 2: 

The blue "pin" marks Long Lane, the site of today's work party.

The bridleway showing heavy usage by bikes.

Years of accumulated leaves.

Catherine and Andrew: different techniques towards
the same goal . . . getting rid of the mulch.

David, Andrew and Catherine: shovelling techniques
in action.

David and Andrew: Mmm! Time for a different plan.

Andrew, Kasher and David: wondering why they
signed up for this Friday's work party.

Andrew: happy in his work!

Trying to find a drain.

Catherine developing her drainage expertise.

ERRINGDEN - Parrock Clough

 David and RJ returned to Parrock Wood and installed revetment adjacent to Parrock Clough, on Erringden 026. Three sections of revetment were installed last Friday by Ian V and Andrew and it had been agreed that further revetment was needed to protect this path.

David and RJ installed the revetment and widened the path significantly. They also installed additional yellow-topped marker posts. We will need to return and fix more revetment nearer to the stile which is at the start of this pathway.

Today's work has been funded by generous individual donations to CROWS. Many thanks for helping to maintain the footpaths and bridleways in this area.

The location of the worksite on Erringden 026.

David and RJ in initial assessment mode.

Andrew, the footbridge and the revetment
fitted by last Friday's work party.

RJ installing another piece of revetment.

The widened path: looking towards the bridge.

RJ and today's neatly aligned revetment.

Does anyone have any idea what this is? 

ERRINGDEN - Above Parrock Wood: stile built part 1

 A team of three (David, Kasher and RJ) were above Parrock Wood today to make improvements to the very difficult stile on Erringden 026.

It was a day of sunshine, showers, snow and hail, with a beautiful rainbow in the valley. We were also rewarded by having two walkers on this path today.

We have repositioned the stile so that it is in line with the existing (but hidden) stone steps. We have installed two new uprights and a single step. We have temporarily added cross-rails and have stapled the original stock fencing to the uprights. The team will return on Friday to complete the stile; to remove the original stile structures; to tidy up the fencing and to make improvements to the steps on the approach to the stile.

The stile is certainly wider than the original structure and will be much easier to use (once we have finished our work!).

Today's work has been funded by Todmorden Harriers from their Flower Scar Fell Race. Many thanks. 

The location of the stile at the top of Parrock Wood.

The original stile.

The original stile, part 2.

David dismantling part of the original structure,
and securing the stock fencing.

RJ and David and the first upright now in place.

RJ and David, sorting out the second upright.

Our reward: a fantastic rainbow in the valley below.

David trying to deepen the hole for the
downslope step leg.

In the hail storm: Two uprights in position.
Two legs in position but now need to be packed.

End of Phase 1: a safe stile in position.
We will return on Friday to complete this
and to dismantle the original structure.