Gill Head: Kirkby Luneside's neighbour

[Winslow Boy]

8 minutes ago, Physicsman said:

 

Rob, thanks for that, and you've set me thinking.

 

Provided I have a reasonable excuse for the stile being there, then it could stay. You've provided a valid one, and maybe the rail workers also needed access to maintain the cutting area. No sheep in there, it could get very overgrown. The prototype pics show small trees and a lot of vegetation. So access for maintenance....yep, I think so.

 

A sign could be fitted, as you say..... 

 

Jeff

 

 

 

I know you probably made your mind up already Jeff but I think it would be gate of some sort rather than a stile. Simply because a stile dosent stop anybody from accessing railway company land. Likewise if it was for maintenance how would they bring equipment etc through. Sorry but that's my two pence worth.

[Physicsman]

10 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

I know you probably made your mind up already Jeff but I think it would be gate of some sort rather than a stile. Simply because a stile dosent stop anybody from accessing railway company land. Likewise if it was for maintenance how would they bring equipment etc through. Sorry but that's my two pence worth.

 

Nope, mind never made up "until the scalpel strikes". There's an irrefutable logic to what you say, and a gate would be the sensible thing if it were access-driven.

 

As I've said before, this kind of thing is why posting on here is so useful. Everything doesn't have to be "correct", but it's nice if it all goes together. 

 

The current prototype is fenced in this area, and somewhere along its length (much longer than I can build) there is probably a gate....

 

Food for thought. Thanks for that.

 

J.

 

 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Physicsman

[Physicsman]

A couple of pics, just for the sake of it.

 

A repeat of the walling photo from a previous page, this time without the distraction of a piece of white modroc in the foreground. And I've started a wall on the north side of the valley, to cordon off the railway's property at that end. Quite a slope this one, and it'll need about 2000 stones. Oh dear - this pic shows the first 100. Pitiful, isn't it?

 

Coping stones fitted to top of bridge. Needs a bit of filler, then rubbing down.

 

 

[Physicsman]

A few pics to show ongoing work.

 

Pic 1: The wall going up the north side of the valley. This is what 800 stones gets you.

Pic 2: The new wall in the distance viewed from the cutting. Notice that last weeks wall stones are no longer white!

Pics 3 and 4: The bridge after rubbing down and a bit of acrylic applied, using a finger tip, to test the effect.

 

Jeff

 

 

[jacko]

Will you be 'completing' the wall in the first photo Jeff?  As it stands it's very reminiscent of collapsed stone walls around the dales. Maybe something to think about even if it's a shorter stretch.

 

Graeme

[Physicsman]

2 hours ago, jacko said:

Will you be 'completing' the wall in the first photo Jeff?  As it stands it's very reminiscent of collapsed stone walls around the dales. Maybe something to think about even if it's a shorter stretch.

 

Graeme

 

I will indeed be having a broken section of wall - on the steep part before it levels a bit. If only because it means less stones to fit and walling on that incline is a real pain in the.....

 

Next bit later this evening.

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by Physicsman

[John Besley]

2 hours ago, Physicsman said:

 

I will indeed be having a broken section of wall - on the steep part before it levels a bit. If only because it means less stones to fit and walling on that incline is a real pain in the.....

 

Next bit later this evening.

 

Jeff

 

 

How about an honest workman repairing the wall...

[Physicsman]

46 minutes ago, John Besley said:

How about an honest workman repairing the wall...

 

He might be very lonely up there, though I guess he could pop down to Stonehouse village for a pint. 

 

Not a bad idea, John.

 

J.

[figworthy]

34 minutes ago, Physicsman said:

 

He might be very lonely up there, though I guess he could pop down to Stonehouse village for a pint. 

 

 

The Sportsman ?

 

Adrian

[Physicsman]

9 minutes ago, figworthy said:

 

The Sportsman ?

 

Adrian

 

Yes, though I've heard mixed reviews of it. Mostly positive, I must visit the place - and it has a car park for the Arten Gill visit!

 

J.

 

[figworthy]

1 minute ago, Physicsman said:

 

Yes, though I've heard mixed reviews of it. Mostly positive, I must visit the place - and it has a car park for the Arten Gill visit!

 

J.

 

 

I called in once.  It was OK, but nothing special, but it isn't on the "avoid" list. 

 

Adrian

[Donw]

On 21/05/2021 at 20:03, Physicsman said:

 

It was the only way to provide some access. The real thing has a fence, not a wall, and probably a gate.

 

At least the wall keeps the munching herbivores out!

 

 

Yep, it is deliberate, though the "wear and tear" will be greatly refined when proper grass work is carried out.

 

J.

 

Edit: If I'm honest, the stile is only in there to provide a break from the monotony of the walling. I hadn't considered the trespassers, either, but with the remoteness of upper Dentdale I doubt it'll be a problem.

 

Great work Jeff . You definitely have the 'eye in' for walling now.  

 

Not sure about the Cumbrian sheep but the forest of Dean ones seemed pretty good at scrambling over stone walls. The stone stiles I saw around Hawes had a norrow gap between vertical stones at the top too tight for the sheep you could just get you feet through.

 

Don

 

[Physicsman]

2 hours ago, Donw said:

 

Great work Jeff . You definitely have the 'eye in' for walling now.  

 

Not sure about the Cumbrian sheep but the forest of Dean ones seemed pretty good at scrambling over stone walls. The stone stiles I saw around Hawes had a norrow gap between vertical stones at the top too tight for the sheep you could just get you feet through.

 

Don

 

 

Evening Don.

 

The walling is a funny skill. Between May 2016 and the end of 2017 I reckon I built between 20 and 25 metres of the stuff, roughly 70,000 stones. Last week when I came to start building new ones, to add to the useful ones saved from KL2, I was initially stumped. I'd made a load of DAS strips, cut them into bits and I stood there, wondering where to start. Took me about 30 minutes to get going. I still don't think the walls are as good as some of the older ones, but I'm improving.

 

On the subject of escaping sheep, and along with earlier posts from today, here's how the North valley wall stands. And it has some stones missing - I'll scatter some bits onto the grass when we get to the static-bit.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by Physicsman
Wrong choice of word

[Physicsman]

Wall-building continues apace, and I'm now onto relatively level terrain. Much easier to build and the appearance of the wall looks so much better.

 

Here are 3 not especially great snaps, taken on my phone.

 

Jeff

 

 

[John Besley]

2 hours ago, Physicsman said:

Wall-building continues apace, and I'm now onto relatively level terrain. Much easier to build and the appearance of the wall looks so much better.

 

Here are 3 not especially great snaps, taken on my phone.

 

Jeff

 

 

Thst slope uphill would be hard work walking, be a good work out, what grade is it approximately? That wall really does help the perspective. 

Edited May 25, 2021 by John Besley
.

[Physicsman]

John, the slope is around 45 degrees and would be pretty tough. Although the vertical climb is only about 40 metres.

 

The attached pics show one of the greatest bits of insanity I've done during my walks on the Cumbrian fells, in August 2013. Starting from Patterdale, with the intent of heading towards Fairfield, I changed my mind and followed a wall from the low at Grisedale Beck to the start of Striding Edge on Helvellyn. About 500 metres of vertical ascent at an angle of 35 degrees.

 

Pic 1, the Beck.

Pic 2, the ascent.

Pic 3, me, looking tired....

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

A quick pic to show that I'm still busy.

 

 

[lambiedg]

Understatement?.

[jacko]

I hope you're taking the time out to run a few trains now and again.

 

Graeme

[DeadRinger]

Beginning to look really good.  Keep up the good work.

 

DeadRinger

 

[Physicsman]

Thanks for the positive feedback.

 

David, that section of wall represents over 2,500 stones and 10 hours wall building. All that climbing, up and down the valley face, did get me fit, though!

 

Graeme - trains? What are trains? Seriously, I did run a loco a while back, while electrical testing. Must have been 6 weeks ago....

 

I've spent most of today fiddling with walls. No pics to show today, I'll see if I can get some for tomorrow.

 

And at 8pm, just for 15 minutes fun, I put a base coating of 2.5mm static grass onto about 500 square cm of the cutting. This is Noch "Meadow Grass". It's what I used as the first coat on KL2, and it's quite a nice mix of greens. Doesn't show up too well on this photo. I'll do another section tomorrow and things will start to take off when 4 and 6mm are blended in.

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by Physicsman

[Physicsman]

Had my second Covid jab this morning and thought I'd celebrate with a burst of static grass.

 

The grass is all 2.5mm, just a base layer, with gaps left to expose the ground area - some of these gaps will end up with grass clumps in them:

 

 PVA (90% glue, 10% water) applied, fibres "applicatored" on, hoover up excess fibres to collect the non-stuck bits (recoups maybe 50% of the fibres, and hoover suction gives them an additional erection (viagra for Noch fibres, eh?)), process immediately repeated. Glue then left to dry for a day before brushing over the grass carpet and collecting yet more loose fibres. They are expensive enough, so well worth saving what you can!

 

The fibres on the cutting were straight Noch Grass Meadow. The ones on the valley are a bit darker as they contain about 10% medium green and 10% brown, again 2.5mm. Whether fiddling like this really makes any difference is debatable, bearing in mind that the majority of this base will get a 4, 6 and 12mm fibre top.

 

The second pic has a foreground disintegrated wall, which I'm currently "building" - noticed it on a number of the Arten Gill pics.

 

All good fun. And btw, I've added details here as some find them useful. For those already in-the-know, please ignore them. It's just what works for me and each will have their own way of doing things.

 

Jeff

 

PS. Worth comparing the appearance on either side of the valley wall, or either side of the cutting. Flock is "nice", but very basic.

 

 

[Physicsman]

I got a bit carried away and chucked some more grass on....

 

.... if any of the gaps need filling later, that's easy.

 

 

[Physicsman]

Things have moved on a bit since I posted the pic on Friday evening - reproduced here with a similar view taken 30 minutes ago.

 

The grass is growing....

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

Here's a wider view, with the eastern cutting as it was a week ago - flock 0nly - and as it is now, with 6mm fibres added to yesterday's 2.5mm.

 

The top coating is all 6mm: 70% Meadow Scatter (Green mix), 20% Beige, 5% Brown, 5% Medium Green, all from the Noch range.

 

Some of the gaps will be partly filled with grass clumps made from 12mm green and beige fibres - tomorrow....

 

And I've included a pic I'm using as one of my "cutting guides" (this is on the S&C) - NOT for colours, but for range of grass textures. When UK suppliers manage to re-stock with the excellent Noch "leaves", I'll add in a bit of non-grass vegetation.

 

J.