Central and Eastern Team
November update
by Ade Mills
After finishing our work at Mickleden our attention turned back to the Stickle Ghyll path that we started in the spring before heading over to Mickleden for the summer.
The section of path we've been working on has proved pretty challenging because of a number of large boulders situated right on the path line. So we’ve been forced into using these large rocks for landscapingor, if they're suitably shaped, for pitching with.
Pitching with large stone really helps tie the path in with the landscape, but if they don't go in correctly the first time around it can really slow down progress!
(Picture: Nic pitching with boulders)
With this tricky section completed we only had a short length of pitching, with incorporated drain, to build just higher up the path. We just managed to squeeze all four Rangers onto the section, so we rattled through the work in a few days.
(Picture: Working on the top section)
With our work at Stickle Ghyll now completed for the year we moved on to work on a section of path at Gowbarrow in Ullswater.
(Picture: Unloading the bags at Gowbarrow)
As you can see it was pretty wet and boggy! This had caused people to avoid the area that in turn had produced severaladditional paths. So our job was to remove all the extra paths and get everyone back on to one line again.
The work involved constructing roughly ten metres of pitched path and alarge stone drain that would remove much of the water from the path. The work was made more difficult by the boggy conditions but the path quickly started to take shape.
Once the pitching was all in place we were left with large quantities of peat that had been dug out from the path. This was moved either by shovelling, orusing plastic trugs, to fill in the additional paths and other eroded areas around the footpath to recreate a more natural looking landscape.
(Picture: The completed section of path)
With this workcompleted and winter looming that's the end of our upland footpath repair work for this year. So over the next few months we'll be turning our hands to a wider range of estate work around the property. Of course, we'll keep you updated.
Eastern team diary archive
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