Sunday dawned bright and warm. After a week of dry weather we thought at last we could access the stile just behind the Green Man so that, after replacing it, we would be close to our first pint. However, the gateway between fields was still very muddy and heavily rutted so it was touch and go whether the 4×4 could get through. We did (at some speed) and it was then down the hill to Footpath 6 and the damaged stile, this is one of the most walked paths in Milwich.
The team consisted of Paul, Peter, Phil and Richard. The old stile was in a bad way. The adjacent rusty gate had been fixed to it with barbed wire and, when the gate post broke, the weight of the gate had broken the stile. In addition one of the steps had sunk so that it was at an angle and slippy when wet.
The stile was quickly removed and all the barbed wire cut away and the gate temporarily moved. This path goes across the floodplain of Milwich Brook. It is only a month since the Brook burst it banks so the ground was still very soft. The ground was also free from stones so holes were easily dug and the new stile installed, complete with steps. Time for a coffee break and a discussion about the recent flood.
We then installed fencing either side of the stile and a dog gate for our four-legged friends. A new post was installed to support the gate so that the weight was not taken by the stile. At the other side of the gate the post was completely rotten so we used the old stile upright that was not broken to support the gate, attached the barbed wire, fixed the gate in place and the job was complete. Just in time it seemed as the pub was about to open and the rain clouds were building.
After a good sweep of the area for tools and any bits of barbed wire, it was back through the rutted gate and into the pub at midday. Five minutes later the heavens opened!
