Before we commenced work, the footpath was fairly level but rough and tended to be wet in areas. We want to make sure the trail is suitable for lots of people so we thought it'd be good idea to resurface it. It was unworked on last year as the other areas were of a higher priority due to the steepness and the likelihood that they may deteriorate.
Before starting work
Before surfacing, the first job was to sort out the drainage. We piped
three areas where rainwater runs off from the bedrock and we also put in two
new stone drains. The pipes were finished off with stone so you would never
know they're there.
Digging in the new pipes
With this done we had to have access to get the gravel from where it was
delivered to the rest of the path. In one place there was a set of
steps with no way around. We therefore built a wooden ramp over the
steps out of two tree trunks and some fencing rails. We'd now be able to
access the path without ruining the steps.
Building the ramp
The next job was to edge the path. As part of the woodland management program at Allan Bank quite a few trees are required to be thinned out, this will allow more light to reach the ground and encourage plants such as bluebells, primroses and violets to flourish. So we took advantage of all the surplus timber to edge our new path.
Fixing the edging in place
Finally it was time to start moving the gravel. In total we'll have shovelled 30
tonnes of gravel and moved it around the woodland with our mechanical
(power) barrows. It's not the speediest of jobs but it's the only way to
do it.
Starting the gravelling
The new path is really starting to take shape now and when finished will provide a fantastic route around the woodland.
New section of path
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