[muntjac]

in response to a request for ideas on making a path  i though id offer these ideas if you have any more please add to it....i will discuss the foundations in a while

paving slabs from freecycle if you can get them ,also you can get loads of bricks and lay them down end to end in any patern you like .i think a herring bone one really adds to the old world charm.

concrete is expensive and may need special permission costs would include  the edging board unless you skip dived them  the labour is intense also

crushed rubble again needs side boarding to hold it in

another idea is using side boarding with a large quantity of council bark  mulch i use this in my garden .the chucks love it as well and its easily replaced .the council usually need to get rid of it and often ( as mine does  ) deliver it for a small fee

grass lawning . fine if you dont run up and down it with barrows to much , needs cutting once a fortnight

planking runways . take a pair of 10 ft long  pieces of 2x4 posts and nail 5 inch by 1 inch or more thick planks across them , level each end with a plank temporarily nailed . now continue nailing more planks with a small gap of about an inch inbetween each plank all the way down the posts .then make enough of these sections to go the length of the allotment  treat with preservative yearly ...( i use old oil and white spirit . werks for  me )
 think thats it for me for now on that bit .

foundations need to be levelled  for brick and paving slabs you really need to have edging strips also to retain the material and i would suggest using a sand  foundation especially with the bricks .the slabs can lay on soil if needed

 the wooden runways could be layed on a sand bed to allow drainage
the other ideas suggested  will need no foundations

[Calou]

Fantastic! Just what I needed and surprise, surprise, Munty is making perfect sense to me. I'm gonna have a coffee and mull these ideas over. Thanks Munt'.  

[muntjac]

:shock: making sense?  :roll:  summat new every day  

[shaun]

I have a paving slab path around the whole perimeter of my plots laid straight onto the soil.they have gone out of level but its no big deal.I'm lucky enough that I take a lot of paving slabs up at work mostly from school play grounds and places like that,infact I keep bringing them to the site when I can and they get snapped up in no time at all ,most folks now have a flagstone path on there plots,
if your site is council run it might be worth having a word with the steward to bring it up with the council to see if they can drop some off. you might be suprised. its all in the name of recycling and councils just love that word  
muty has mentioned hard core try not to use limestone mot has you will be adding lime to the soil forever and a day.

[slartibard]

Hi All !!

I did mine by putting plank edges and putting old carpet down. Keeps the weeds at bay and keeps the paths tidy.

[jlottie]

I've split my allotment up in 13 different sized beds and used some garden type fabric, I think its called mypex which thankfully was a freebie.  I just laid loads of cardboard and newspaper underneath its been there 3 years and has worked a treat

[peterjf]

we inherited ourtplot from wifes dad , it took 7 ton of crushed bricks and 4 weeks hard work to make the path, level and safe now , just need  25 yards of pavers to get it looking great , good luck

[Stripey_cat]

Has anyone tried straw paths?  I've heard them suggested in several places, but I was wondering whether they actually last through one season.

[Ruth Cross]

Getting bark mulch (for free) around here is a nightmare! Any on freecycle goes in a blink of an eye
I'm on a private site so the council doesn't 'tip' anything there.
I've been to the local recycling centre and as well as wanted a small fortune for a boot load of 'compost' it is really bad quality with loads of rubbish mixed in.

Any suggestions where I can get some, can I contact the council direct and collect it? I always see the highways maintenance pilling up stuff on the road side but they take it with them

[compostqueen]

I pegged down a metre wide black sheet mulch but before I could add the chipped bark I'd made with me trusty shredder the moles had turned it into Mount Vesuvious

Hey ho  :roll:

[jack russell]

Have you not rang around the local tree surgeons Ruth?  I have a friend who is only too glad to dump it for the price of a pint or two.

[Ruth Cross]

Have you not rang around the local tree surgeons Ruth?  I have a friend who is only too glad to dump it for the price of a pint or two.

Good idea I'll try that!!

[GrannieAnnie]

Has anyone tried straw paths?  I've heard them suggested in several places, but I was wondering whether they actually last through one season.

I would imagine straw paths would get VERY soggy after a drop of rain!  I know any straw I put down near the henhouse door is soon sopping wet.

[GrannieAnnie]

Mine is paving slabs on a leemix base, courtesy of Tesco's!!!!

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[noshed]

That black plastic woven stuff is good and hard wearing. I've had mine down for 2 seasons and it's as good as new.