Hello dear readers and welcome to the next (long overdue) episode of PRoWlers’ Progress. It’s been a long hot summer (so far) which has meant that a lot of the lush growth we might expect has been somewhat subdued. I can only put it down to a lack of water. However this has meant that Ricky and Jonny have been able to get on with some of their projects on the ever-growing “infinity” list they have.
Our last episode was at the very end of May, so here’s the news to date… Buckle up – It’s a biggie!
Funding Update – Some good news (of sorts)
You may recall that Ricky and Jonny have been struggling to get a response, let alone their funding, out of Devon County Council. They escalated the issue to everybody who they thought could help (OK – not the King!) and lo and behold they have received a Purchase Request from DCC. HURRAH!
Now this isn’t money per-se, but allows them to raise a bona-fide Purchase Invoice against the Purchase Request, so that DCC can pay the invoice (following their strict payment terms and conditions). Ricky and Jonny are hoping to see the actual money at the end of August.
Don’t you just love a bit of bureaucracy? I know Ricky & Jonny DO NOT !
Both Ricky and Jonny want to thank the Parish Council Clerk (Linda) for raising the invoice as soon as the DCC Purchase Request arrived. Also thanks must go to Devon Councillor Paul Hayward for helping escalate the case internally within DCC.
So what to spend it on? You’ll have to wait and see. But if you have any ideas, you could ping an email to prowlers@allsaints-pc.gov.uk and Ricky or Jonny will take a look. No promises though.
Back on Footpath 56 – Early June
Do you recall the gate on FP56, close to Heather Bell off South Common? This was the gate that the boys re-hung so that it closed snugly between the posts. You can see the videos in the last episode.
Jonny noted that they said they’d revisit the gate and replace the spring handle to make it easier to open and close without scuffing your knuckles.
Rather than £spend £spend £spend on a new handle, Ricky said “Let’s get grinding again! I think we can move the spring handle up a couple of inches if we do a spot of ‘shoulder grinding’. “
Always up for a grind, Jonny said “Great idea, 10 minutes grinding should get us at least another 3 inches to play with. It will be so much easier to grab without hurting you fingers. “
And so it was done.
Footpath 44 – This is the short path that leads down to the river just opposite Ash Beacon.
Now this is a lovely little path – one of Ricky and Jonny’s favourites. Should they have favourites I hear you cry? Well, I guess it’s like children… OF COURSE they have favourites – but just don’t tell anyone!
This path meanders down towards the river and the parish boundary. There are several gates along it’s length, but one in particular was having a bad time. The gate itself is in good condition, but the post it closed onto was undersized and rotten. Also, it was being pulled over by an adjacent wire fence which was also connected to the gate post. The gate wouldn’t open and close without wrestling with the dreaded yellow nylon string. Horrible!
There was nothing for it but to replace both the closing post and the fence post. The fence and fence post belongs to a resident who kindly gave Ricky and Jonny permission to enter her field and “do the necessary” (Thank you Heather).
Jonny happened to have a couple of posts burning a hole in his pocket (well… you know what I mean!) and he donated those to the cause rather than spending the (currently) non-existent bank balance.
It took all of three prowls to complete the job as the ground conditions meant that digging out new post holes was tough going and untangling the barbed wire and stock-proof fence was also a challenge.
Also, the gate is a good walk from where they park the PRoWler Mobile – so carrying tools and supplies was also “a bit of extra fun”. How they laughed.
This is what both Ricky and Jonny said whilst digging –
Ricky: “I say Jonny, this is terribly, terribly hard work. ”
Jonny: “Yes Ricky, it certainly is terribly, terribly difficult digging. Shall we take a short break and enjoy a cup of tea? ”
Ricky: “What a splendid idea Jonny – you be mum. “
Jonny: “Always! “
And so our boys took a well deserved break, had a (metaphorical) KitKat and enjoyed a cup of ProWlers’ Tea™
Fully refreshed, they continued their toil, dropped the posts in the holes and made them firm. After reaffixing the closing latch to the gate post and reattaching the fence wire to the fence post, they declared the job almost done.
“We just need to add the bracing bars and the fence post brace now. ” said Ricky, but sadly the clock had beaten them on this visit.
The following week, they returned to complete the job, added the bracing posts and had a tidy up. The gate is now a pleasure to use – you should try it if you can.
Footpath 61 – Unsafe stile had to go
Footpath 61 is (technically) not accessible from the track adjacent to the village hall. The passage of time has meant that the track is no longer a public right of way – if indeed it ever was. However, about 200m down that track there is Footpath 61 which leads from the A358 to Smallridge.
Just adjacent to Battleford Farm, there was a stile that was very difficult to navigate (it was tall), but it was also rotting out and an accident waiting to happen. A good number of residents had asked Ricky and Jonny if there was an option to replace the stile with a kissing gate.
“ Let’s do it! ” said Ricky. Never one to argue and knowing it was the right thing to do in this case, Jonny agreed.
For this project they thought they might need a bit of help, especially as both of our PRoWlers were having some back problems (OucH!). They spoke to the ever willing, ever cheerful Steve Keynes of Churchill Handyman fame. Steve was the gent who did such a good job on the “Stairway to Heaven” last year.
In the morning, Steve and Ricky set about removing the old stile. Jonny went off on his own and did a bit of gentle and solitary strimin’ and trimin’ towards South Common; Not very exciting – but still very necessary.
Around lunch time, Jonny returned and the saw that the old stile was out and the holes for the new gate were being excavated. Once again, this was not a trivial task as a kissing gate has so many posts (5 in this case) to install. And tree roots!
This is where the stile was. It was cleared away and you can see the new “kissing gate kit” in the background.
Note those tree roots. The challenge was to install the new gate without disturbing them too much.
Here’s just some of the rotten timber that was holding the old stile together. All of the posts and some of rails were like this – so it had to go.
The rest of the afternoon, the three of them worked to install the new gate. This job would not have been possible without our friend and co-worker, Steve. Ricky and Jonny have elevated him to the status of Honorary PRoWler. Well deserved I think.
Here are a few snaps of the new gate in place.
Footpath 38 (Really it’s a Bridleway) A Rotten Repair
When out PRoWling one day, Ricky noticed that the gate at the junction of Bridleway 38 and Footpath 41 (just behind jolly Holly Farm) was rotting out at the top. The rest of the gate seemed in good condition.
Ricky asked: ” You know how you like a grind Jonny? How about a saw and chisel as well? “
“Ooh! Any chance I get to be a use a tool – You know me Ricky “
This is what was happening at the top of the gate… It wouldn’t be long before the top rail rotted out at the tenon.
So, the boys decided that a bit of field surgery was in order. They made some notes and went away to rough-out a bit of replacement timber in the workshop.
Later, they returned with saws, chisels, glue, clamps (and tea) – ready to tackle the surgery. Here’s a slide-show of their efforts…
And here’s the finished job with the gate hardware reinstalled.
Thanks go to Martin and Helen of Holly Farm, who allowed the PRoWler Mobile to be parked on their land close to the gate in question. It really makes jobs so much easier – Thank you!
Footpath 39 – Tread carefully
Footpath 39 branches off from Bridleway 38, just before you get to the Beacon. It allows you to “cut the corner” if you’re heading out towards Dirks.
The footpath crosses a field and leads to what Ricky and Jonny have named “Two Gate Tunnel” – it’s two gates that go through a mature hedge. This had become quite overgrown so needed a bit of a trim.
However, to get to the gate the boys needed to re-establish the path as it had been planted with wheat but with no provision for the footpath. Tut! How very annoying is that? It might put you off going for a stroll.
Ricky said: “ How very annoying! ”
Jonny replied: ” Very annoying indeed! “
They knew what they had to do. It sounds like vandalism, but isn’t. They trod a path through the crop to the gate. It’s a real shame that some people who plant crops don’t make the correct provision for walkers on a public right of way. Rant over… for now at least.
Phew… And Finally
Thank you for reading through this epic episode of excitement and entertainment. I’ll leave you today with some creatures great and small that our PRoWlers have happened upon over the last couple of months.
Sadly, no sign of the Black Bunny yet. Maybe later in the year – fingers crossed.
But in the meantime, you know what to do…
Enjoy your walking, follow the Countryside code and Shut That Gate!
PS. The nights are drawing in… Get your chimney swept – it’ll soon be Christmas. Byeeeee!