BTCV Handbooks Online

Book:	Practical Conservation
Chapter:	Paths and Steps
Section:	Paths
Metadata:	Details	Buy this book

During the planning of your garden, it is possible that some path and/or step construction will be necessary. Careful consideration at this stage will make life easier when it comes to actually constructing either feature. If there are existing paths or tracks through your site, it may be possible to leave these unchanged in shape but improve on structure and durability. You may then have to design your nature garden around the existing paths.

If you need to construct a path, don't be too ambitious on your sketch map, as a maze of paths can look very well on paper but after the children (or others) have laboured over the first 20 metres a further 95 can be very daunting. Remember KISS keep it short and simple!

The aim of the path

The path must be firm, even, well drained and more comfortable to walk on than surrounding land and, most important, lead to the 'features' within your garden. Will you need steps? They are difficult to construct, require maintenance and limit the path to walkers only. However, there are places where they cannot be avoided. For further information refer to the section on steps.
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The easy path

If the site is flat grassland it may be possible to have a simple mown path, but this is usually a very rare option (a mown path through a meadow area can often be an attractive feature).

Look carefully at the site, determine where water is likely to lie and avoid this area (plan the pond or marsh area here). Before beginning, mark out the path with tape on sticks to give a clear indication of the direction in which excavation is to proceed.

If your site is fortunate in having relatively dry conditions, a simple path is all that is required. Cut off the top 200mm of turf (you may bank these turfs on the side of the path or be resourceful and use them to build a butterfly bank or edge a pond). Assuming the soil underneath is dry all that will be needed is 70-100mm of pea gravel. This is relatively inexpensive material (see price list) and is easy to work with. Spread evenly and firm well in (30 pairs of size 4 wellies should do the job)! Gravel is obtainable from a local quarry (delivery is expensive, so if possible borrow a trailer and collect it yourself).

The problem path

Poor drainage is the cause of most problems in path or step construction. A typical situation on a path or steps enclosed by a hedge or a wall is that surface and sub-surface weather collects and causes waterlogging and puddles of standing water. Trampling compacts the wet ground, further impeding drainage. The end result is that vegetation will not grow and path/step users will simply avoid the area and create their own tracks. Drainage is vitally important where steps are to be constructed as lack of drainage here will lead to erosion and a dangerous slippery slope. Other routes will be made and these tracks will eventually turn into a dangerous mud bank.

Approaching the drainage problem

Consider each of the following approaches and decide which is the most relevant to the problem you are trying to solve:

Are there any existing drains? Are they blocked? Locate and unblock (see BTCV Handbook 'Footpaths').
Design and construct a new drainage system. Try the simplest form first (i.e. cross-fall drain).

There are many types of drains and three of the most easily constructed and commonly used are detailed below:

Cross-Fall Drain

Essentially this is an open channel cut across the path following the natural flow of the water. On a sloping path this can deflect water into a side drain or carry water across the path. An open cross drain must not be too wide to impede passage along the path and therefore is only suitable for small intermittent flows.

Side Drain

These are usually open channels constructed along the side of the paths. They intercept surface and sub-surface flow and carry it downhill. If the path has a camber the water will flow into side drains.

French Drains

Ditches filled with permeable material such as clean gravel, stones, chippings, slag or clinker. It is important not to use too small a material e.g. quarry dust, as this would rapidly block the system. The drain is used to carry water away from a site and can deal with relatively large quantities of water. A length of permeable plastic pipe can be laid in the bottom of the trench to carry away the water. The surface of the drain can be either open or covered with turf sods laid on a perforated polythene strip.

Edging the path

Edging the path can make for easier maintenance although it adds more expense to your project, and is not vital except where the surfacing may be washed away.

Edging

Rock or stone found during excavation can be banked up the sides to give a 'natural' appearance.
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Sawn timber makes a very neat job. Boards are held in place by 'stobs' (also used in step construction). This helps stop weeds from encroaching onto the path as well as containing the path material. The timber should be treated with preservative unless cheaply replaceable.
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Logs are aesthetically pleasing but less easily obtainable and can be as expensive as sawn timber if they have to be bought.
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