Pitching the path at Millbeck Farm

We've recently been working on a section of path next to Millbeck Farm in Great Langdale. The path had some old pitching around the gate but this was in need of replacing and much of the rest of the path had been disturbed during excavations for the new hydro project.

 Before starting work

The repairs were relatively straightforward except for a small section underneath a veteran Yew tree. To cause as little disturbance as possible to the tree we moved some large boulders into position to form the edge of the path. This meant we could raise the path over the roots and not have to dig through them. Luckily there was still a digger on site after the hydro work so we had the rocks in place much more quickly than if we'd had to move them by hand.

 Section under the old Yew

In time as the Yew grows it's likely that we may have to reset some of the stones, so we'll keep a close watch on things.

 Pitching under the Yew

After a couple of weeks we'd replaced the path from beneath the Yew tree and up through the new gate.

 Repairing the path near the gate

We brought in some extra topsoil that was being used for landscaping around the intake of the hydro-electric scheme and put some grass seed down, to give the path a good chance to recover.

 Most of the landscaping completed

After just a few weeks time the new section of path was looking much improved.

Finished path

Landscaping and path repairs for the hydro-electric scheme

Last summer work commenced on building a 100kW hydro-electric scheme at Stickle Ghyll that would provide enough clean energy to power Sticklebarn. Sticklebarn is the only pub that is both owned, and run by the National Trust and is conveniently situated at the bottom of Stickle Ghyll. An engineering project of this scale has obviously created a sizable visual intrusion so we were tasked with helping to reinstate the area and return it to a more natural state.

Our first job was to repair the section of path next to the bridge and intake weir, where the water storage tank is located. After the tank had been installed the path was initially graveled, skimmed over with soil, and piles of rock were left along the edge of the path.

 Before starting work

We gathered much of the usable rock by hand and moved it up to the path, in addition we brought in some extra rock that had been generated during the engineering work to make sure we had enough. The job was complicated by the first few metres of path being sat directly upon the large concrete water tank but it wasn't too long until the new path was starting to take shape.

 Pitching the new path

Once the path was completed we set to work on landscaping the path to help it blend back in with it's surroundings. We brought in several tonnes of topsoil to cover over the spoil and gravel that had been generated while building the stone path. This was either shoveled or moved by power barrow to where it was required. We then dug in surplus rock and re-positioned some of the larger boulders, turf was added to a few spots and the whole area was covered liberally with grass seed.

 Freshly landscaped path

We've been closely working with some local contractors on the larger areas of landscaping, their main work has been moving the topsoil and reprofiling with diggers. Once we'd moved the usable rock from the lower side of the path the contractors dumped several loads of soil for us to spread next to the path.

 Landscaping the lower side of the path

In just a few weeks the seed was starting to grow and the path was again starting to fit in with it's surroundings.

 Path starting to recover

The photograph below shows the wider area before we started and the rock pile that was used for building the path.

 Rock pile next to path

With the new path in place, a lot of extra topsoil and several bags of grass seed the whole area has now been transformed. We'll continue to reseed the area through the summer and, given a little time, the area should once again be looking great.

 New path with the seed starting to grow