Norwich’s landforms are going downhill, mostly by slow erosion of soils. However, in July, 2023 a 300-foot segment of the Ballard Trail was part of a sudden landslide, caused by summer rains weakening the soil on the hillside and adding weight to it. Fortunately, no-one was present at the time, or serious injury could have resulted. The slumped area was impassible from soggy, slippery clay, which has since dried out.
The Ballard Trail, leading from the Ballard Park trailhead, is one of the most heavily used trails for people seeking recreational enjoyment, close to town. The failed segment runs across land, owned by the Griggs Family, which generously allows public passage and the relocation of the trail.
Norwich Trails volunteers discussed whether professional help would be required to restore the broken segment. As a first step, members of the Trails Committee and volunteers scouted out and marked a potential route.
Jim Faughnan suggested that it would be possible to muster sufficient volunteers to take care of the job. Indeed, a call for volunteers resulted in a roster scheduled to work two-hour shifts over one weekend. Unfortunately, rain scratched that plan.
So, Jim and fellow volunteer, Bob Fisken (accompanied by dog, Bela), decided to make a start on the project, themselves. They saw that, in addition to having to carve out a trail on a steep hillside by “benching”, they would have to bridge several active streams. Benching entails cutting into the hillside and depositing the excavated soil on the downhill side to make a tread way, double the width of the cut. They chose an 800-foot route, sufficiently uphill from the landslide to minimize risk of further slope failure. Of this, 700 feet would have to be benched—a rare phenomenon in Norwich. On steeper sections, they used logs to keep the excavated soil in place.
To cross streams, Jim and Bob portered in a variety of planks to create improvised spans. Equally arduous for smaller watercourses was the need to find and emplace rocks to armor those locations against erosion.
Work continued mornings for two and a half weeks, weather permitting, to complete a bypass route that restored the connection to the upstream end of the problem segment. During this period, volunteers on the originally scheduled, but rained out, work days showed up to assist in the effort, including:
- Todd Alexander
- Elfie Forbes
- Tom Griggs
- Nick Krembs
- Jane Lemasurier
- Cody Williams
Thanks go to those, who came out to help, and to the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, which provided the specialized tools needed for this type of trail work.
The tread way will be too narrow for snowshoeing and will typically require traction aids for safe passage in winter.
If you haven’t hiked the Ballard Trail from Ballard Park since they suspended their work for the winter, prepare to be amazed! Work will recommence in the spring after it becomes apparent what refinements are needed to deal with freeze-thaw action and seasonal runoff.
Thank you, Jim and Bob, for moving the project forward!
Story by Stephen Flanders
Photos by Jim Faughnan and Stephen Flanders
Norwich Trails 