A step in the right direction
Our for task for this month was the installation of a kissing gate at the bottom of Clark’s Hill close to Hampton Ferry and to continue to install steps on the upper and still very muddy slope.
Jo brought her van along the Severn Trent service road which meant that we were able to unload the gate close to the area where it was to be installed.
Geoff, Dennis and Hayley set to demolishing the existing stile and clearing overhead branches and brambles. When they started digging, it soon became apparent that there was a large amount of concrete to break through. Roger had joined them to lend a hand and the hard work got underway.
Meanwhile, Mike, Phil, Glyn and Alan split into two teams to work on the steps. Jo had moved the van into School Road so that we could unload all the necessary materials. We found that we had become much more efficient at installing the steps, helped by the fact that several of us had been on site on Saturday 5 February and improved our methodology! Geoff had provided a metal cap to place on top of the post which prevented it from splitting when we hammered it into the ground. By sheer doggedness we had completed the upper flight of steps – 27 in total.
As we plodded wearily back to the cars, we were met by the successful kissing gate crew who reported how pleased they were with their work – the best kissing gate installation ever! And it was!
I’d like to extend a big thank you to all who worked on the day and to Carl, who joined us on the Saturday morning.
The next Working Party is scheduled for Thursday 17 March when we hope to continue our epic installation of steps at Clark’s Hill.
