Unearthed a wee gem of a descent today, been a path there years ago, but due to a big fallen tree no-one had been using it. Set about removing said tree, and also cut back all the overgrown branches on either side.

It’s now a fast, well drained, rooty, twisty descent – exceptone wee section almost at the end. About 3 metres long, and just a bit of a bog, no way of diverting any water or anything, it’s a hollow.

What to do?. I’m thinking, get it filled with decent sized stones, and then some hardpack on top, but have no experience of such stuff?.

Can you dig a sump off to one side, to allow it to drain into that?

Compacted stone will work, but I would also suggest you add a ‘field drain’ or two at a depth of 200mm below ground level. Get some lengths of flexi pipe, around 50 dia and punch some holes along the length but only around 2/3rds of the circumference and make sure the un punctured third is at the base. This will allow any ground water to pass through and dry the area out while the stone gives to a permeable surface you can ride on.

Can you dig a sump off to one side, to allow it to drain into that?

I don’t think so, It’s just a bigish reedy hollow, I reckon it’d just all settle back down to it’s previous state.

Where can you buy that flexi pipe stuff? I assume you mean 50cm dia?.

Can you go round it? Always the best option.

Woodwork? Pallets or summink

mm!

This stuff

But you will get shorter lengths for far less than that link.

You are simply providing a clear pathway for the water to flow out of your trail. Oh, make sure the other end is lower!

What type of ground is it on? The pipe solution sounds good (if a bit fiddly) but it won’t work if it’s on soil with a high clay content, as the surface above it will just pack down and become watertight.

Otherwise your options are causeway (difficult to get it to stabilise though if it’s on a boggy area), or diversion. Pallets or boardwalk would be a lot of effort, and liable to break (most pallets are made of thin cheap pine and have already had a hard life) or be removed.

Is there a ready stock of decent sized rocks? Close-packed stepping stones are always good- they let water drain past them and they make for an intersting surface, plus they’re nicer to look at than plank bridges

Bit of woodwork for the win 🙂 Optional gap jump over the bog?

I guess not much traffic ? How about some of that pale fencing laid on top – spreads the weight out and stops you sinking in?

Gravel on top if you have any around

What type of ground is it on? The pipe solution sounds good (if a bit fiddly) but it won’t work if it’s on soil with a high clay content, as the surface above it will just pack down and become watertight.

Sorry, I should have made the detail a bit clearer.

You can bury the pipe if you wish, but this is almost pointless as it needs to be stoned up on all sides. Much easier to lay pipe on a bed of small aggregate and infill over with more stone to a depth of 200mm above the top of the pipe.