Footpath Repairs in Stagshaw Gardens

After finishing our work at Skelghyll Woods we moved on to nearby Stagshaw Gardens which is renowned for its impressive rhododendron and camellia collection.

Our original plan was to replace a section of pitched footpath, which was a little awkward to walk on, with some more formal stone risers. Though once we started removing the old pitching we soon discovered that the path was sat right on top of a section of bedrock. This made it impossible to carry out the planned work as there was no way we could sink the slate riser stones deep enough into the ground. We therefore decided to alter the route of the path and put in a gravel path instead.

The line of the new path

Once we had decided on the route we dug out the tray for the gravel  to sit in. Using the pitching stone we'd removed, we built a stone revetment (wall) to support the lower side of the path where it cuts across the angle of the slope.

Looking up the new path

The soil that was dug out to form the tray was moved and placed against the revetment to help landscape the area. It was incredibly wet while we were working on the path so we'll have to go back and check whether we need to put in any drainage. It'll also give us the opportunity to seed the area and get it looking its best.

Looking down the new path

With the new path in place it will now be much easier for all visitors to enjoy the garden when in full bloom later on in the year.

Completion of the Woodland Walk at Allan Bank

Since our last update we've been continuing the path repair work at Allan Bank. With the house opening to the public for the first time on the 31st March, we've had a job to get everything finished in time!

A lot of drainage work had been carried out over the years, but due to lack of continual maintenance it has fallen into disrepair. Much of the water entering Allan Bank comes through a gap in the wall at the top of the wood and is sent through a stone culvert underneath part of the path, and from there down to the walled garden. The culvert had collapsed and become blocked by stones and tree roots.

Blocked culvert

This meant that during heavy rain the culvert overflows and water is forced off-course so that it runs down the path, which has started to cause damage. It was therefore essential that we should make some improvements, so it was decided that the culvert should be taken apart and rebuilt.

Repairing the culvert

The first job was to remove the top stones to gain access to the drain. Next, the sides of the drain (which are like small sections of dry stone wall) were taken apart and replaced with more substantial stone. The culvert was also widened so that it would be able to cope with heavier downpours. Once any interfering roots had been removed, the top stones were placed back in position and wedged tight.

The finished culvert



Since the last blog post we have completed the restoration of a further four sections of stone steps. The steps in the photo below had become unstable and the ground had eroded beneath them, meaning they were on the verge of falling out



Old steps in need of repair

The original steps were completely stripped down and then cemented together to add extra strength. An additional step was also added.



The restored steps

To help gain height up to the steps, five wooden risers were constructed just below the new bottom step. It's hoped that eventually the risers will be removed and replaced with more stone steps which would be more in keeping. But due to our tight time scale and lack of materials, wooden risers were the only option.



Steps with the added risers

We have also continued to improve the quality of the path surface. The path below was a particularly steep section with bedrock and large boulders just below the surface. If this had been left unattended it's likely that the path would have eroded away to the rock below making it extremely difficult to walk on.

Steep section of path before commencing work

A series of wooden risers were built to make it easier walking down this steep slope and also to prevent the soil from eroding.



Section of path with new risers in place

The Fix the Fells volunteers once again helped us move the wooden edging into position next to the risers.

Moving the edging into position

With the edging now securely staked into position it was time to gravel the path.

Gravelling and edging the risers

With only hours left before opening time, we finished off the final bits of gravelling and edging. Our last job was to walk the path and put in marker posts to direct people around the new trail.

So if you get the chance to visit Allan Bank, we'd love to know what you think. Either post a comment below, or if you're on Twitter, tweet us a message @NTCentralFells.

Continuing work at Allan Bank

Over the past couple of weeks we've continued our work at Allan Bank, where our work has focused on a section of path which is very undefined. To cope with the number of visitors when Allan Bank opens to the public in a few weeks time we've had to make the route more obvious and also sustainable. 

The first job was to decide which route to take and start clearing back the leaves and digging out a shallow trench.

Starting to create the new path

It's been great that we've had so much volunteer involvement as they've really helped speed things along. The Fix the Fells volunteers have managed to find some spare time in between their "day job" of attending to the upland paths, and managed to fit in several work parties.

The path begins to take shape

With the new path line properly defined, we've again used tree trunks that have been felled as part of our woodland thinning programme to edge the path.

Edging the path

The next job was to add some wooden risers to the steepest sections of path. These are needed as due to the incline it is more likely to erode and also more difficult to walk on.

Digging in the risers

With all the risers in place we needed to get the gravel from a pile next to the house over to the new path. First we had to shovel the gravel from the heap into a trailer, so we could transport it a short distance by road to the nearest access point. Once here it was shovelled out of the trailer and into a power barrow. Finally, the gravel was moved over to the new path and shovelled back out again. This was repeated numerous times throughout the day, and that's a lot of shovelling!

Moving the gravel to site

Once the gravel was nearer to the path it was then moved using wheelbarrows to exactly where it was needed.

Gravelling between the risers

By creating a path like this it will make it much easier for everyone to get around and enjoy the woodland at Allan Bank. Given a little time the path will start to blend in more with it's surroundings, but it'll still do the job it's been designed for.

The completed section of path

Path improvements at Allan Bank

As part of our ongoing improvements to the network of footpaths at Allan Bank we've been working on a section of wooden risers (steps) that run from the slate steps to the entrance of the tunnel. We decided that wooden risers were needed for this section as it's pretty steep and if left alone it's likely that the path would have deteriorated.

Constructing the risers

The risers are constructed using wooden posts and rails. The rail is cut into lengths the width of the footpath and once the ground level has been established a trench is dug out for the rail to sit in. Once this is done, two posts are knocked in at either side of the rail and the rail is then nailed to the posts. Another one or two lengths of rail are then attached depending on how high you want each step to be. This is repeated until you reach an incline that is less steep and therefore less likely to erode.

Once all the risers were in position the next thing to do was to edge them with timber. Several small trees have been recently felled both for safety reasons and also for thinning the woodland. So we took advantage of this and cut them into suitable lengths and put them into position against the edge of the path.

 

Edging with some felled tree trunks 

With the edging in place it was time to gravel in between the risers. For this we were assisted by the Fix the Fells volunteers.

 

Moving the gravel 

With all hands on deck we shifted the gravel with a fleet of wheelbarrows and we soon had the new risers filled in with a good layer of gravel.

Freshly gravelled risers

After a lot more shovelling and many more wheelbarrow loads we were finally gravelled all the way into the tunnel.

Entrance to the tunnel

Footpath repair at Aira Force

With our work finished on the high fells until the spring we've been getting out to a few different places around the property and we've recently been working over at Aira Force. Our first job was to replace a set of old wooden risers, with some new slate ones, and also build a stone drain higher up the path, to help protect the new work.

Old risers removed and the first few slate risers in place

It's quite a change working somewhere like Aira Force, although the work is still mostly footpath repair work as it is in a more formal environment it's essential to get everything looking just right. It seems quite alien to be using a spirit level and tape measure while constructing a new path! But still the path quickly started to take shape.

The risers almost completed

With all the risers in place, it was just a matter of building up a short section of wall and gravelling between the steps. The new path should now be much more user friendly.

 

The Finished path

Our next job was to replace a section of wooden revetment that was retaining a gravelled footpath. As you can see in the photo below, the weight of the gravel has started to push out a section of the edging and the path has started to fall away.

Section to be replaced

The first thing to do was to dig out around the boards that had started to move out of place. We dug down a couple of feet until we reached the very bottom of the revetment, and then removed the whole section. Next we made sure everything lined up correctly and marked out where we needed to put the new posts.

Checking the positioning

Once we'd decided where the posts should go, we made some fresh holes for them with a crow bar and, as is often the way,  found the bedrock just below the surface. Fortunately the bedrock was relatively easy to break so we managed to knock the posts deeply enough into the ground. Just to be on the safe-side we added a couple of additional posts to help give the new section a bit of extra strength. Once this was done it was just a matter of nailing the reused rails back on to the posts and filling in with some fresh gravel.

Job finished

Finishing our repair work at Mickleden

Over the last couple of weeks we've been busily working on the Mickleden project, so we can move back onto Stickle Ghyll for a few weeks, and hopefully finish our work there before the weather deteriorates too much.

Much of this work has again been upgrading the old path to make it more user friendly. You can see in the photograph below a set of risers (a line of stones dug into the ground to slow down the rate of erosion). Originally these risers would have been dug in at ground-level or, at least, with very little stone showing above the ground. Over time, the soil has eroded out in front of the risers leaving behind large steps that are more difficult to walk on.

Path before repair work

As this section of path is next to a beck which has been known to overflow during heavy rain we decided to build a pitched path incorporating the old risers. This has helped reduce the height of the steps and will also help the path stand up to the rigours of flooding.

Completed section of path

Another important part of this project has been the landscaping. You can see by comparing the two photographs above how the side-stones that run in a straight line (top picture) have also been removed and replaced with larger stones, in a more natural looking way. Subtle changes like this are unlikely to be noticed by most people but it's all part of our work trying to make the paths blend in more sympathetically with the surrounding landscape.

Once the path and landscaping was done we finished off this section by selecting a suitably large, and flat, stone and moved it into position as a stepping stone. The beck, which flows out of Rossett Ghyll can be really difficult to cross after heavy rain, so with the new stone in position people will be able to get to the other side much more safely.

New Stepping Stone in place

With our work at Mickleden finished (at least for this year), it was finally time to take down the shed, so there's no chance of it getting blown down in the winter. It'll stay here until it's ready to be moved to a new site next year.

Flat-packed shed, ready to go