WORKING in partnership with North Yorkshire Council, the Lower Wharfedale Ramblers have recently repaired a stile in Middleton, above Ilkley.

The old stile was overgrown, and a rail had been added to stop lambs from escaping, but the rail made it dangerous for walkers.

Ilkley Gazette: The stile before the workThe stile before the work (Image: submitted)

LWR Footpath Maintenance Team, led by Richard Brook, cleared the stile and installed a lamb gate in the stile opening. Lamb gates are small wooden gates with a very strong spring designed to snap back into place after use. They prevent lambs getting through the stile. They are common all over the North Yorkshire Dales. The new gate was particularly important as the stile is immediately adjacent to a road regularly used by vehicles and heavy farm machinery.

The stile forms the beginning of a popular footpath linking Middleton to Denton. Whilst repairing the stile a number of passing local residents stopped to thank the team for their work, but expressed concern that the footpath itself had been impassable since a storm in Autumn 2021 resulted in large fallen trees blocking a footbridge over nearby Bow Beck. Richard explained that LWR don't have the equipment to remove the trees but would report the blockage again to North Yorkshire Council, who are responsible for bridge maintenance.

Ilkley Gazette: The blocked bridge at Bow BeckThe blocked bridge at Bow Beck (Image: submitted)

The good news from the Council Countryside Access Service is that the bridge is scheduled for repair this financial year.