Friday 26 April 2024

RIPPONDEN : KRUMLIN, and COTTONSTONES

 Five people were out today in fine weather . . . for a change! - Angus, Linda, Jak, Jerry and Graham L.

Job One   

Woodhead near Krumlin


Jerry, Jak and Linda worked on this lovely path that runs from the beautiful hamlet of Woodhead down a steep sided clough. It had been reported as being blocked by a large tree, and sure enough ....


Before the tree can be  removed there was a lot of brash to be cut back around the tree







and on the path leading down to it...... It is now in a state that when a couple of people return next week with the chain saw they will be able to access the site more easily and remove the tree from the path, making it accessible once more.


Job Two  Cottonstones, the path behind the Alma Pub




Graham and Angus went to do further work on this challenging path and were joined by the others when they'd finished at Woodhead. Anyone who knows this path will know how wet it is so they concentrated on drainage 




...... gradually it seems to be drying out but no doubt we will be back. A nice view of Cottonstones church in the background.

This work is funded by a grant from Ripponden Parish Council and generous individual donations . We are grateful to all.

Monday 22 April 2024

Pennine Way: Birthday time!

Saturday, 20th April

Happy 58th Birthday to the Pennine Way!

To celebrate the official opening of Britain's first Long Distance Path, CROWS member Neil D. hosted a FREE 'Cream Teas' event in his small garden at his home in Blackshaw Head, just 200 m from this iconic National Trail.

His daughter took a 'busman's holiday' day off her work in a cafe in Buttermere to help, and put up posters along the Way to attract walkers. To further swell the numbers, invitations were also extended to local friends and neighbours, some of whom also helped by baking scones, making cakes and supplying home-made jam.

       CROWS members, Frank H. and Kasher dropped in for tea after completing their task!

Displays of work undertaken by CROWS in the Blackshaw Head area encouraged guests to make a donation to CROWS. Nearly £120 was raised on the day, which it is hoped will go towards supporting further work along the Pennine Way through the parishes of Blackshaw Head and Heptonstall in the future.

 The CROWS display - and all-important collecting tin! - with more guests, including neighbour Jan (another CROWS member) and Jan enjoying their cream tea.


CALDERDALE WAY - Link path from Height Road to Churn Milk Joan.

Neil D and Rich went to improve the waymarking on this permissive Link path. Today's work was funded by Ramble Worldwide Outdoor Trust and Calderdale Ramblers.

The details
 
A crucial post needed to be put in at the bottom as the route was not clear. 


No big rocks were encountered - that makes a change!

Everyone will find the link path now






Walking up the route, several of the waymarks were missing or broken, or faded.

Walking along the Calderdale Way at the top of the link path we encountered some serious drainage issues.  It's looks as if some boardwalks will be needed on a 40-metre stretch.

People have started walking around the problem so it will get worse

The final job was to rescue and re-erect a finger post a few metres towards Midgley

A little shorter, but easily seen.


Friday 19 April 2024

TODMORDEN: Cornholme - Shore Green

 Shore Green - an escalating task!

Kasher and Frank H went to the triple junction of footpath Todmoden 060 for the straightforward task of replacing the closure-post of an existing gate.

The arrow marks the spot! 

Blue skies, a light breeze and swallows swooping overhead provided idyllic conditions for the simple job of replacing a post. Mmm! Closer inspection revealed that Plan A had to be modified in favour of Plan B  . . .  then Plan C . . . then Plan D because:

*the hinge-post was loose and tilting too far out of the vertical.

*the closure-post had collapsed and the attached stock fence would have to be de-stapled.

*the gap between hinge-post and a wall needed a series of short cross-rails.

*the remnants of the closure-post needed digging out and its replacement re-positioning to be in line with the hinge-post.

*digging post holes would be seriously hampered by remnants of a drystone wall.

*a gate paling (of cross-section no longer available!) needed replacing

Wow! It was going to be a long, hard session . . . and had we got enough equipment?

The work was funded by the landowner. Many thanks.

The detail

Work commenced with much discussion but after few false starts we pitched into a repair task that seemed to double as the sort of upper body workout only available in the more exclusive type of gym!

1. Misaligned gate and hinge-post; missing
closure-post . . . and a lot of drystone wall.

2. A start being made on excavating the hole
for the new closure-post - the deeper, the better!

3. The painstaking job of de-stapling
the old stock fence.

4. New closure post in place. Old hinge post
(with gate attached) has been dug out and
re-packed. Both post are vertical. Frank is
refitting and re-tensioning the stock fence.

 
5. Old gate, new closure-post and drilling
taking place to refit the old closure hook.

6. End of session: old gate and posts 
refurbished and re-positioned.

There is still some work to do. More cross-rails (to right of picture) are needed, the closure-post requires a 'top cap', the central paling needs replacing, a closure loop might be useful, some 'landscaping'/tidying is needed and a coat of timber preservative would also be useful . . .

                                             *************************************

. . . Here's how the continuation session went (done on the following day):

7. Damaged paling being removed

8. New paling being fitted.

9. Extra side-rails being prepared.
One rail was anchored to the wall
to act as a 'tie' for the hinge-post.

10. Gate and posts structurally completed
with a difficult to miss closure loop .

11. One coat of timber preservative

12. More of the same but a good view
(from the down-slope side) of the
(nearly) finished structure.

It's always good to have a reminder of the state that this gate was in yesterday morning . . . and here it is . . . !


13. Old gate with multiple structural
issues seen from up-slope side.

The timber preservative should dry fairly quickly especially on a dry, sunny, breezy day . . .  but just in case . . . 
Very obvious  . . .  'WET PAINT' 'signs'. 


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.