Friends of the Loxley Valley holds work sessions on local footpaths during the summer months, to help to keep them free of obstructive vegetation.
We meet at Rowell Bridge and work mainly on the “Easy Going Trail” footpath running alongside the River Loxley to Olive Mill.
The path has a “tapping rail” alongside it to help people with visual impairments to find their way along it. It also has a hard level surface to make it safe to use for people with prams, wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
There are brail signs at both ends of the path to mark its opening as in Easy Going Trail in 1985 by the then Sheffield City Council leader David Blunkett. This followed improvement work to make it accessible for people with restricted agility.
You can learn more about the path in the promotional video at the bottom of this page. It was produced for Sheffield’s “Outdoor City” strategy, and features the television presenter Julia Bradbury.
What footpath work does Friends of the Loxley Valley do?
We keep the tapping rail clear of overgrowth, and also cut back overhanging vegetation when it starts to obstruct the path.
We have agreed the work with the council’s public rights of way officer, to help him concentrate his limited resources on urgent maintenance and repair tasks on the city’s footpath network.
Our team also cuts back overgrowth on some of the other footpaths near Rowell Bridge when we have the capacity.
Recently we’ve cleared the two stretches of duckboard on the parallel footpath that runs through the woodland on the south side of the river between the Olive Mill footbridge (“one man” bridge) and the old packhorse bridge near Rowell Bridge.
How can I get involved in the footpath work?
Our work sessions are open to all Friends of the Loxley Valley members. Planned sessions in 2025 are running as follows:
- Saturday 31st May 2pm-4pm
- Saturday 14th June 2pm-4pm
- Tuesday 24th June 7pm-8.30pm
- Saturday 19th July 2pm-4pm
- Tuesday 29th July 7pm-8.30pm
Volunteers don’t need any specialist skills. We only take on “gardening” style tasks that can be done by lay people. We ask volunteers to bring along their own gloves and small hand tools, (e.g. secateurs and shears). FoLV provides work signs and hi-vis vests.
We ask members to email us at info@friendsoftheloxleyvalley.com before each work session if they intend to come along.
Stewardship work with Yorkshire Water
This year, 2025, we have also started to help Yorkshire Water’s countryside rangers to look after their lovely little permissive footpath at Rickett Bank. This runs alongside Ughill Brook where it flows into Damflask reservoir.
Yorkshire Water have been clearing overgrown conifer trees from the site, and replacing them with native hardwood trees.
Our volunteers are helping them to keep vegetation in check around the baby trees, and along the path.
We’re also helping to remove plastic guards from the young trees as they outgrow them.
You’re welcome to come along to these sessions if you’d like to get involved. They happen mid-week. Yorkshire Water provide equipment and supervision. We’ll publicise the dates through the News section of this website and on social media.
- Friends of the Loxley Valley would like to thank Bradfield Parish Council for their generous £200 community grant towards our environmental work. This has helped to pay for our hi-vis vests, our work signs, and our public liability insurance.
- We would also like to thank Steel City Striders for very kind donations from their Percy Pud race income. This too is helping us to meet the costs of our footpath work.
