Diary entry by Alice Foley, Countryside Worker Apprentice (Level 2)
January 2025
I started my level 2 countryside worker apprenticeship in August 2024 and we were straight to work! We spent the first couple of weeks working with the National Trails Ranger, Andrew Carter, along the Cleveland Way, where we set about replacing and repairing a set of steps near Hawsker.
To access the site, and with permission from the landowners, we drove through a farm, down a very bumpy track and across one of the farmer’s fields until we were alongside the Cleveland Way path boundary. From there, it was a case of carrying our tools and materials down the hill to the bottom of the steps, provided we could get past the nosy cows first...
Because we were just repairing and replacing the existing steps, we were able to keep the path open to the public. It's a very popular route and with the lovely weather we had that week, there were lots of walkers coming and going... and lots of requests for an escalator!
Our first job was to remove/dig out the rotten and worn away wood that forms the frame for the steps, along with the old wooden pegs used to hold them in place, before replacing them with a new framework and pegs. Some steps had completely disintegrated so we had to put in some new steps to create a more uniform rise and tread. Not only does this look better but it ensures the path isn’t too steep and makes it easier for people to walk up and down.
For the bottom half of the steps, where the terrain was more open, we put in a sideboard to reinforce the steps but for the top half, this wasn’t necessary as the path was naturally banked up on both sides.
After that, we had to even out the surface of the steps – this meant removing soil and vegetation from areas where it had built up and become overgrown. We had to cut into the side of the bank to make sure the steps were all the same width as the cliff side had eroded, meaning parts of the path were no longer as wide as they used to be. Then we could use the excess soil to fill in the areas that had declined over time due to higher levels of footfall or erosion.
Once this was all done, it was time to finish off with a layer of hardwearing stone which was less likely to wash away in heavy rain or bad weather and would hopefully keep the steps in better condition for longer. Again, we had to transport all the material down the hill by hand, in wheelbarrows and buckets from a trailer parked at the top of the hill. It was sweaty work, especially in the sunshine, but the thanks we got and the final results were worth it.
Footpath maintenance is a common job for us especially at a site like the Cleveland Way which is a very popular walking route but is at a higher risk of erosion due to its coastal location and the harsh weather conditions it can face. It can be hard work and physically demanding but all of that becomes irrelevant when you see how much people appreciate the work you’re doing. And, luckily for us, the week we spent on this task was full of blue skies and sunshine and, we even spotted a Minke Whale. Job’s a good ’un!