LUDDENDFOOT - the path to Kershaw Estate

 Carla, Rich D, Jerry and Sean went to clear this path for a third time in so many years. There were several recurring problems of encroaching vegetation - mainly Brambles and Snowberry. This work was funded by the Luddenden Mayor's fund. 

 STONE STEPS FROM THE MAIN ROAD

The problem with this section of path is that the Brambles are rooted in the stone walls and overgrow onto the steps every year. It's not clear what the long term solution is! 

 

The problem

After clearance

THE SNOWBERRY

A rapacious plant that can easily disguise a footpath. 

There is a path somewhere

 A wide path now exists. 

We also identified a possible safety issue due to a collapsed fence at the top of the stone steps.  

TODMORDEN - Lobb Mill & Rodwell End - Cutting Back

Catherine & Richard A were allocated the job of cutting back on the bridleway that leads from Lobb Mill car park and then on the path from Rodwell End (see map). The latter was particularly overgrown in places. Fortunately the pair finished just before the rain set in for the day.

Today’s work was funded by Todmorden Town Council. Thank you.

The team worked on the paths between the blue crosses.

This bridleway quickly gets overgrown so
CROWS visit regularly to cut back.

Richard A removes some
low-hanging branches.

This holly bush, on the second path, needed a trim.

Other parts were very overgrown.

The team cut their way through.

And found this little treasure.

And this beauty.

Plus a nice view of the Pike.

TODMORDEN - Todmorden Geological Trail

Mick & Gareth braved the weather forecast and set out across Todmorden Moor to reset some of the marker posts on the Todmorden Geological Trail.  These regularly fall foul of the sheep & cattle on the moor which use them as handy rubbing posts!

The weather stayed fine until we reached the very far end of the trail at which point it started raining!  One or two posts have gone completely astray and will need to be replaced.  All the others are now upright again, helping to guide walkers around this fascinating route through Todmorden's geological & industrial history.  Check out the Heart of the Pennines website for more information or buy our newly reprinted walkers' map from Todmorden Information Centre.

The miscreants responsible for pushing over this marker post

Mick next to one of the Trail information boards

The rain sets in - spot the wind turbine!

TODMORDEN: Langfield Common and Obadiah Wood

David, Duncan and RJ worked at two locations.

1. Langfield Common: new fingerpost erected, drainage carried out and old waymark posts straightened.

2. Obadiah Wood: platform constructed around the previously installed bench.

1. The previous fingerpost on Langfield Common (just up from The Shepherds Rest) had been damaged by cattle on the moor so we decided to put in a replacement to encourage people to walk to Gaddings Dam via the Basin Stone (or via Jail Hole) rather than up the very eroded and steep edge path. 

At least with the cattle off the moor for a few months the post should remain in place . . .  these posts, unfortunately, are such a convenient scratching post for the moorland cattle. The posts need to be in the ground by at least 1m - that's a fair amount of digging! 

Many thank to Langfield Common for letting us install a fingerpost at this site.

2. CROWS have previously erected two small seats: one on a new footpath from Pudsey Road and the second one at the entrance to Obadiah Wood. We were asked to make it easier to get onto one of the seats which we may be slightly too high. Consequently, we have built a step platform around the bench.  Many thanks to the landowner for allowing us to erect this small bench in his woodland.

The funding for today's work has come from Todmorden Town Council. Many thanks

Task 1: Langfield Common:

David starting to excavate the posthole.

The post in place (correctly orientated!) and the hole being filled.

The new markerpost in position and vertical . . . 
Mmm! Until the cattle return to the moor.


Task 2: Obadiah Wood:

David and RJ sorting out the timbers for the step platform.

Duncan making final adjustments to the platform.

The completed platform around the bench.

Midgley; Revetment work on footpath above Chapel Lane

 Midgley: Coal Dyke revetment

The footpath (see map) that is a continuation of Chapel Lane, traverses the gorse and heather slope above Coal Dyke (shown on older maps as Coal Dike). CROWS have done much work over the years to keep this footpath open and today's tasks were to install new revetment where the path was collapsing and to re-instate a section that needed the existing revetment stabilising.

1. Coal Dyke: The blue pin marks the area where improvements were made.

The day for Ian S, Paul and Frank H started with the sight of an inversion layer (where warmer air acts like a 'cap' to trap cooler denser air) . . .

2. Upper Calder Valley inversion layer.

The session began with a carry - revetments, stobs, tools and personal gear had to be ferried up a rough track and an even rougher path to the working area - before a day of 'heavy hitting' could begin.

The Detail:

Spoiler alert: The before and after pictures will appear at this point. This narrowed path is collapsing because the up-slope gorse and heather have encroached to force walkers more and more towards the unprotected down-slope edge.

BEFORE:

3. Path before: Yes it is there! -  just to
the right of the clump of gorse!

AFTER: 

The day's work was to cut-back vegetation, widen the path to get 'working room', install revetments then further widen and backfill the path's tread area to give . . . .

4. Path afterwards: A lot of effort need to get this!

DURING: This is how the day went:

5. Narrow path with collapsed edges revealed.

6. Vegetation on L cut back: First section of revetment
being fitted but further widening still to do.

7. More alignment; revetment in place
and 'stobs' being hammered home!

8. Further up the path: Existing revetment re-'stobbed'
and the path widened.

9. All braced and stable? Then the long 'stobs'
can be hammered into place.

10. End of session i) Down-path view of new
revetment, and the widening is underway.

11. End of session ii) Up-path view of new
revetment and cleared path.

This was an energy sapping session. Heather was tough, gorse was prickly, ground was stony, stobs were prone to drifting out of the vertical . . . but, at least, it didn't rain until the final half-hour of the day! 

Many thanks to Midgley Community Forum who funded today's work.

There is further work to be done on this path. Certainly more cutting-back and perhaps one or two steps but for now it is easily passable.