Since our last update, we've been busy working on the footpath at Stone Arthur. We started collecting stone for the path repairs back in April at Tongue Gill, the next valley along from Stone Arthur. The rock was flown by helicopter to site in early May.
Getting ready to fill heli-bags in the snow at Tongue Gill
With the rock in position, we began work. We started on a lower section of path, which had previously been worked on but has since become badly eroded.
Bottom section after bags had been unloaded
Completed pitching on bottom section
You can see some of the older repairs in the following photograph. The steps would have originally been put in at ground level and were on the verge of dropping out.
Middle section showing earlier work that is now obsolete
The old steps were removed and the whole length of path was stone pitched to create a sustainable surface to walk on.
Middle section after repairs
As we got higher up the path, it started to level out but was still badly damaged and had got worse over recent years.
Upper section (before)
Upper section during work
At the top of the section we were working on, the erosion was at least a couple of metres wide and you can see in the photograph below how three separate tracks are starting to merge into one.
Eroded top section
By stone pitching the path, it can be narrowed down and the sides can then be revegetated.
Almost completed top section
This section of path is roughly half of the work we're doing up on Stone Arthur this year, as we're also working higher up the path above the work we carried out in 2018.
