PRoWlers’ Progress – 24th & 31st July

Welcome to Episode 5 of the PRoWlers’ Progress.

All you lucky readers (that’s you!) are being treated to a combined episode today – this is what Ricky and Jonny were up to on the 24th and 31st of July

By-the-by, one of Jonny’s friends asked him what the dates in the heading/title meant.  These are the actual dates they both went on the prowl;  You see, it takes me a little while to debrief (Ooh! You are awful – Stop it!) Ricky and Jonny, so there’s always a delay before I can publish the episode. I do my best… honest.

So as a special treat, you’ll find a video to watch and a slider thingy to play with in this episode – read on!

Something Unusual and Extra-curricular on the 24th of July

This week we start off with something a bit unusual.  A resident from Waggs Plot had contacted our Parish Council to ask if anything could be done about the overgrown footpath along the A358 from Waggs Plot to the southbound bus stop.  In truth, this is a Devon Highways issue, so the Parish Council duly reported it, but they also asked the PRoWlers to assess what needed to be done.

Image extract from footpath map showing A358 near All Saints
Location of the A358 southbound bus stop path

Ricky and Jonny were very happy to help if they could– so they took a detour and parked up in the northbound lay-by and taking their lives in their hands, crossed the road and headed towards the bus stop.  It was clear that the hedge adjacent to the path was badly overgrown and the undergrowth was making the path difficult to use, especially if you were pushing a pram or buggy or were a wheelchair user.

This is what they found…

Image of A358 bus stop path before strimming
A358 path – Difficult to navigate without getting squashed by a car or truck

So, the question was, could Ricky and Jonny safely do the minimum amount of work to improve the path and get a quick win, until someone with flashing lights and cones came along to sort it fully?  Rightly or wrongly, they decided they could.

Time for the hi-vis.

Whilst the job only took an hour or so, it was as much fun as they expected it to be.  No Fun At All!  Some drivers must have thought they’d earn extra points for collecting a “PRoWler at work”.  It even made Ricky say “Grrrrr!” (Very unlike him as Ricky is not known to be grumpy or surley as that’s normally Jonny’s job).

Now let’s make this clear – the Parish Council did not ask the PRoWler’s to do this job, Ricky and Jonny took this decision on their own – so they only have themselves to blame.  Silly boys.

Image of A358 bus stop path after strimming
A358 bus stop path after a tidy-up – Much better, though not perfect, but hey! It’s not their job.

The job was done… and they vowed never to do similar again!  Leave it to Highways.

Next on the agenda – Prowling on the 31st of July

Bridleway 38 – Most northerly wooden gate before the Beacon

On an earlier prowl in July, Ricky and Jonny had found that the most northerly wooden gate on Bridleway 38 had dropped and could not be easily opened or closed.  Now we all know what cows can be like… they see an open gate and think they have right of way!  This needed sorting.

Image extract from footpath map showing Bridleway 38
The north-end of BW38. The red circle shows the location.

Jonny had already spoken to Sue earlier that morning (when she was sticking needles in his leg… don’t ask!), so she was expecting the PRoWler-mobile to be parked outside her place later in the day.

In the past, this gate had been lifted as far as practical using washers on the hinge pins so adding more washers wasn’t an option.  Instead, they’d have to remove the closing staple from the oak post and relocate it a few inches lower.

Getting the staple out took both of their full (and I mean full) strength using a heavy breaker bar.  After much sweating, grunting and groaning and with the extra help of a 5lb lump hammer, the staple gave up the fight.

The photo on the right shows the staple after removal. Just like pulling teeth – Ouch!

Image of fence post staple

Pilot holes were drilled in the post at the new location and the staple was gently tapped in. (OK – so when I say “gently tapped in” I mean walloped repeatedly as hard as possible with the lump hammer).

Phew!  That was hard.  They added some grease to the hinges and the catch and declared the job well and truly done!  This now means that the bridleway can be used by both walkers and horse riders as it was intended. Hurrah!

Click play to share Ricky and Jonny’s joy!

The sun was shining – so Ricky and Jonny took the opportunity to sit on the Beacon with a flask of tea and a chocky biscuit.  The view from up there is stunning and you can even see the sea.

Biscuits eaten and tea enjoyed, they set off to their next appointment.

Footpath 57 – Stile in the centre of the path towards the A358 on South Common.

Image extract from footpath map showing Footpath 57
X marks the spot – in a kind of red circle way.

This stile had all but disappeared under the bramble and bracken.  How do they grow so quickly?

Strim, strim, trim, trim, climb, repeat.  So much easier than wielding breaker bars and lump hammers and a welcome relief.  In no time at all and just a little effort, a stile appeared.  Tidy up – job done.

Drag the thingy in the middle of the photos to see before and after.

OK! The photos don’t quite line up – but you get the idea.

Before they called it a day, they both wanted to understand the official route of this footpath, so they set off eastwards towards Goldsmiths Lane following the map.  More on this in a later episode.

Now by this time, Ricky’s dodgy knee was really playing up, so Jonny trotted (well, more of a limp really, let’s not forget Ricky isn’t the only one with an injury) off to the PRoWler-mobile and drove it to the Goldsmiths’ Lane entrance to the path.  As they loaded the tools, Ricky noticed the stile was a broken where the “dog post” pulled up.  They both agreed it was a job for another day.  “Let’s go home” said Jonny.  “How about a beer?” said Ricky.

So time for a relaxing cold beer in Ricky’s garden.  Simple pleasures, cost little and are so rewarding.

See you (unless you see me first) for another episode soon (ish).  Until then, enjoy your walking and follow the Countryside Code.  And don’t forget – SHUT THAT GATE!