Stowe Hill & Stowe - replace stile & steps

This was the day that strong winds had been forecast for the whole country, and Shropshire certainly had its fair share of wind.

Graham tackles one of the holes for a new footplate

Final fixing gf the footpate

Mike Martin and Graham were transported by David Hardwick up through Bucknell Wood and across to Stowe Hill where a much needed repair involving the replacement of a step to one stile was tackled by Mike & Graham whilst David and Martin headed off to a nearby woodland to replace a stile.

The step was an easy job and we completed the job in about 30 minutes and then walked across the field to join up with David and Martin who had removed the old stile and were tackling the post holes for the new one.  It became apparent why the old stile supports were so short as within a short time we had reached a very dense area of stone and rock.

We had to admit defeat finally when we reached what appear to be a vast piece of rock spannng the ground and no matter how much we attacked it we could progress no further.  We cut about 15cms off both stile posts and then firmed the new stile into place.  Then followed with 2 footplates and the job was done.

These holes were so tough

Stile's in - now for the footplates

Putting the finishing touches to the new stile

Martin and David left to take the wagon round to Stowe the long way whilst Mike and Graham walked down through Holloway Rocks into Stowe and settled by the place where the old defunct steps were to be replaced and started on our lunch.

David gets stuck in with the chain saw

2 steps now in with a few yet to go

Getting there

The final step at last
All photos courtesy Mike Starr

We were soon joined by David and Martin and the steps went in reasonably well.  In spite of the brief shower the job is now almost complete.  Just a return visit needed to replace the posts for the gate at to head of the steps.

Clungunford - replace footplates to stile

"It won't take long," we said, as we set off to replace a couple of footplates on a stile by the main road near Clungunford.

Mike parked his car quite close to the stile and we carried out sit up to the stile. The lowest footplate came out easily and we soon planted the new supports. Then we had to go foraging for stones/rocks to shore up the posts. We visited an adjacent (muddy of course) field and gathered quite a few stones and returned would our booty. We tamped them in and removed the tall post stumps after a bit of difficulty and after planting them we were off to the filed yet again for rocks.

Job done!

The whole job took a good 2 hours but we figured the job was worth doing. As an afterthought, and to use up a few spare stones we straightened up a nearby leaning waymark post.

Twitchen - replace steps & stile

Good to meet up with David Hardwick in the mud at Moor House Farm, Twitchen today.

Our task was simple - remove the old and rotted steps and replace with new - something Mike and I hadn't done before - and then to replace the stile at the top of the steps.

It seemed quite straightforward to begin with, but as we worked our way up the slope, the slipperiness of the mud bank made things somewhat tricky.  Near to the top of the slope we came across two very large rocks which just HAD to be in the very place we wanted to drive in a support post for the steps.  

Still, after a bit of digging we managed to finish the steps and then set about the stile.  We must be getting better as it went in quite quickly, our only problem being a tree root - in the meantime David set about putting in a new hand rail.

Before...

...and after

A rewarding day and the whole job completed in 4½ hours in sunshine, sheltered from the wind and with the noise of newborn lams bleating in the background - oh, and a couple of red kites overhead.  Just a typical English winter's day!