Decided we'd had enough of climbing over barbed wire fences in decent waders, so today my mate and I set about repairing a few, and building a completely new one.
After a walk of approx 1 mile with sledge hammers, saws clippers nails etc, we arrived exhausted, and set about our work.
We had already spotted plenty of usable timber which had been washed down in the floods, so we didn't have to carry that as well thank the lord.
We erected a cracking two step stile, which had been washed away last winter, (wish we had done it at the start of the season) and covered the barbed wire with a tree guard, lashed on with plastic clips.
We then found a large plank of wood, and some decent wooden stumps, and quickly knocked up a bench to sit on and enjoy the view.
We drove posts into the ground at either end and nailed it fast, hope it survives the winter.
So if you are fishing the Bolton Willows stretch of the Eden, and you see the new stile at the gabion groynes, just ahead is a bench to rest your weary legs at, stop and enjoy the view.
A few Otters are often seen just here, and a few Kingfishers as well, and it's a great vantage point for spotting any rising fish as well.
Thanks for your help Mike.
Grayling were rising constantly today to large hatches of Needle flies, which was slightly annoying as we didn't take our rods, but tomorrow is another day.
S.

__________________
"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Well done Steven,Our repairs on the river will start next week after the salmon season closes.
Then our trout loch will have work parties from Jan.

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I hope your work parties turn up Jim, unlike ours.
Both of my clubs talk a lot, but little gets done.
How's your salmon season been so far?
S.

__________________
"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Worse 1 for 10 years.but iv'e still managed to winkle a few out.
Had 1 today.Hooray.

Ji

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

That seems to be a common thread - I've always offered my services to club work parties and never yet been invited on one.......because they appear to not exist!

If that stile is the one I'm thinking of, then well done - it was a bloody death trap!

ATB,
M

__________________
The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

It was certainly a wader ripper Matt, now it's a breeze.
S.

__________________
"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

With luck, i hope to give your bench a try, next season.

__________________
All that glitters, will catch anglers.

Just pray it doesn't get washed away this winter Colin.
S.

__________________
"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

You'll get your reward in angler's heaven .

On a more serious note, one syndicate I belonged to had a system whereby those who participated in 2 work parties, 1 pre-season and one during the season, paid a reduced annual fee (about a 20-25% discount if my memory serves me). We would typically have about 2/3 of syndicate members contributing 2 days work. The pre-season session was typically taken up with clearing fallen trees, copicing to ensure enough light to encourage ranunculus growth, and bank work. Whereas the mid-season work parties focussed on stiles, seats and clearing back some of the areas of nettles and other overgrown areas.

S

Next time you are down our way give me a shout as we need a few jobs done at our place.

All joking aside well done for a good job.

__________________
[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]