BLACKSHAW HEAD, WIDDOP..... and many locations in-between!

 The day started on a sombre note for Neil D and Kasher as we watched the swallows gather together on telegraph wires to start their long journey back home (or is this home??).

In March we drive round lanes and tracks of the Upper Calder Valley putting up 'Ground Nesting Bird' posters . . . and now, in August, we drive around the same tracks removing these posters. All would be well . . . if only we could remember exactly where we had put them!

Thanks to the many landowners and walkers who have also put up these eye catching posters. If you could now help to take them down it would be really appreciated.

While we out we also did a litter collection. The waste and rubbish which had been wantonly discarded along the verges and ditches of the roads (especially beyond Blake Dean) completely filled the back of our vehicle.

We also improved some way marking and identified a number of other tasks which needed to go on the "to do" list - the next few weeks are going to be busy.

Today's work has been funded by very generous individual donations to CROWS. Many thanks.

First find your poster . . . this one was near Blake Dean.

Neil D removing this year's posters.

One more to be removed at the NT car park.

A gate to be repaired in the near future.

Neil sorting out some way-marking.

CALDERDALE WAY above Wainstalls

 Wainstalls: Calderdale Way:

This stretch of path was reported by a couple who recently completed the whole route (80 km of walking with about 2600 m of climbing). 

Lots of cutting back was needed and four stiles required different kinds of attention from the team of Andy, Steve, Jerry and Angus.  This work was funded by Calderdale Highways.

 

 

Top end of footpath before strimming.

Cutting back needed before two lower legs and treadboard on the stile were replaced.

Top section: cutting back in progress.

Treadboard replaced

New treadboard and legs

Another section being strimmed

Before and after

CALDERDALE WAY - above Wainsgate

 Ginny and Rich followed up reported problems with a bridge and some stiles above Wainstalls. 

The plank bridge had a steep drop into the steam and its slippery surface (as reported) would be lethal in wet weather. The underfoot grip was improved by adding rows of staples. 

Three of the five stiles that we checked were in very poor condition and difficult to negotiate. Measurements were taken and jobsheets written for a future work party. 

However, doing this on the day of the Calderdale Way Relay Race (90 teams took part!) was perhaps not the best of ideas - we had to get off the path every 10 minutes or so!

Today's work was funded by 'Just Giving' donations to CROWS.

 The details

                                                                        Treadboards rotten

                                                    The whole structure is very difficult to cross

                                                            Stapling . . . with four-legged supervisors

                                                    Another stile about to collapse
 

WARLEY - Westfield

Guy Steve and Rich went to deal with two reported problems - a section of very poor drainage and almost non-existent waymarking. The path is part of the 'Walk around Warley Village' produced by 'Friends of Calderdale Countryside', so it is well used. 

Today's work was funded by Calderdale Council Highways.

 The details

The path leading up to Westfield was very wet with deep mud. After much exploration we failed to find any source of the water. The only solution we could come up with is to channel off the water to the field edge and put down the stones we dug up. Rough and ready but it should be an improvement. 

 

 

It was clear that people were walking up to the top of the field, partly to avoid the quagmire, so we added a post to indicate the path.  

The final job was to add waymarks to all the junctions (that is, apart from having to wash all the mud off the tools . . . and us!). 

CALDERDALE WAY - underground Halifax

Mo and Rich went to sort out the Calderdale Way link path from Salterhebble to Halifax railway station. The canal-side path from Salterhebble is a lovely route all the way to the Shears pub (greatly recommended), but from there it has become very neglected and pretty impassable. A new route has been devised and today's task for Mo and Rich was to waymark the route and clear one small section going under the railway. 

Today's work (a bit out of our area) was funded by Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd Walkers Action who are contributing to the relaunch of the Calderdale Link paths on the Heart of the Pennines website. 

First job was to clear all the rubbish off the path under the railway and scrape off lots of mulch. Much nicer to walk up on to the fabulous railway bridge over Eureka - a real gem.

Further down we cut back encroaching vegetation and scraped off a lot of mulch across the setted road (the photo doesn't do it justice)

The final job was to waymark the route from the Shears pub to the railway station (13 waymarks). 

The Link paths allow you to plan shorter circular walks on the Calderdale Way. They have all been waymarked but are being checked and detailed directions and maps are being uploaded to the Heart of the Pennines website (work in progress). https://heartofthepennines.org.uk/calderdale-way/

WAINSTALLS clearing a boardwalk on the Calderdale Way

 Lynda, Linda, Jerry and Ginny dug deep on the boardwalks that had almost disappeared on the Calderdale Way at Wainstalls.  This was the original situation.

Boardwalk under water

Getting the water under the sleeepers

But after a lot of back breaking work----

It can now (almost) be walked without wellies!

Thank you for donation from Calderdale Ramblers

WAINSTALLS - 2 jobs

 Rich, Billie, Linda and Jerry went to repair a stock fence along a footpath (Halifax 198) opposite the former Delvers pub (job funded by Calderdale Highways). 

We then to look at drainage problems on the Calderdale Way (footpath, Halifax 135) at Moorcock Farm (job funded by Calderdale Ramblers).

The details

The post and rail fence had several broken rails that needed replacing. 

First job was to remove the broken rails

Measuring and sawing to size before fitting.

 We then went to Moorcock Farm where a flooded path needed investigation. 

We channelled some of the water off the path and now have a plan to deal further with the problem.

Water flowing over the boardwalk

Stray at your peril! It's deep!

A second visit will be needed.

COMMON BANK WOOD, Hebden Bridge

The third consecutive day of rain!  Neil, Lynda and Ginny went to restore 2 fallen waymark posts on the path going up from the ex-pub opposite Station Road in Hebden Bridge.  Luckily, they were still there so we sawed-off the bottoms and made 2 shorter posts.

The steps were also cleared

Meanwhile, Lynda (with a bit of help from Neil) cut back the holly and brambles on the path between the posts.

We cleared the steps (that CROWS put in a few years ago) which could no longer be seen and then moved on to scrape mud off a path in Nutclough woods . . . but it was too wet for photos!

When we'd finished the sun came out! 

Apologies for mixed order of photos, I've given up trying to move them


Funded by donations to CROWS

CRIMSWORTH DEAN

Heidi and Stella continued work on the rush-choked bridleway above Sunny Bank ruins in Crimsworth Dean. The route had become impassable in recent years and walkers had been re-routing through the adjacent field. After the drainage work of a few weeks ago to clear and contain the stream, today, we hacked back more of the rushes and created a very clear walking line along the original bridleway . . . which, hopefully, walkers will now use. 

This work is funded by Huddersfield University's "Discovering Ted Hughes" project.

Route choked and unclear

Now inviting and walkable!

 

COLDEN: Rough Hey and Hoar Side

Ian, Ginny, Mo and Heidi were out on this blustery, sunny and rainy day. 

Ian and Mo set about removing an old gatepost with the aim of replacing it with a new one before re-attaching the old  gate. The problem was, they couldn't unscrew the old hinges! so the gate and old post were taken back to the depot for further fettling ... or possibly the creation of a new gate.  

They managed though to fit the new post into the ground after much hard work in creating the hole - the ground was very stony! 

. 

         

Meanwhile Ginny and Heidi re-set, waymarked and painted guideposts on the path towards Hoar Side. 

Heidi is very handy with a paintbrush. Unfortunately the wind blew the paint on to her nice waterproof. 

Heidi then painted the top of the new gatepost while Ian created a makeshift gate until the refurbished one is installed.

With some time left, they all tackled an urgent job on the Pennine Way above Hebble Hole where water was pouring on to the path. The field drain nearby was blocked and needed clearing. It was a very muddy task!!

 

                        

Funded by Blackshaw Head Parish Council

SURVEY WALK . STAINLAND VILLAGE WALK 2

 Trish and Eleanor surveyed and waymarked this lovely but inevitably muddy walk from the Village Walks leaflet. It is planned to re-print this leaflet later this year but as well as a lot of extra waymarks required , some repairs need doing. Most notably was this stile below near the start of the walk.

We clambered over this stile but it was precarious. We removed the waymark from the loose post and put a new one on the upright, We wanted to move the leaning post but it was holding up the stone steps ( sort of !), so we left it until the stile can be re-built. A post-lockdown job. 

Unforgivably we ran out waymarks as we neared the end of the walk, so will have to return to finish , but discovered waymarks of a new trail ( to us at least). The Sowood WI Poppy Trail. The post needs repositioning as it was leaning against a wall and no use to anyone !

Waymarking to be finished this week!