The last few weeks have been quite wet so there's a lot of water about. Now while you might expect to put on your walking boots and wellies if you're out in the countryside you wouldn't expect it in town.
Entering Barrowcliff Field the track is completely flooded
Technical note (what I believe to be the case) There's always been a spring near here and when the path was laid, about 20 yeas ago, a land drain was put along the left hand (western edge) connecting to a pipe under the track. Unfortunately, not long after, a heavy vehicle went along here and, because the path is narrow, put its wheels on the grass and broke the drain.
Further up the Track, near the Gallows Close Centre, the Track goes through a cutting. Water regularly gathers here and in one of the puddles planks have been put down so that people can get through without getting too wet or too muddy.
Puddles in the cutting at Gallows Close
I have to admit that I don't think there's any other bit of well used public space in town where paths in this condition would be tolerated. Perhaps it has to do with the demographic of the Track's users.
A few years ago the Rugby Club moved out to its new location alongside the Track. There'd always been problems with surface water running along the Track, causing severe erosion, but improvements to the drains had made things much better. But, drains fill up and severe silting means that unless something is done soon we're going to get the erosion once again.
The drain on the left is almost completely full of silt and
water will soon spill onto the Track and then run on down the hill
Beyond Burniston there is plenty of standing water and between Hayburn Wyke and the Grange Farm crossing (the two gates which cross the Track north of Staintondale Station) there is a lot of water running along the surface. It's clearly time for some routine drain maintenance.
No comments:
Post a Comment