Make primary paths 2-3 m wide, wide enough for a cart or two people with loads to pass, and secondary paths to individual houses 1-1.5 m wide. Crown each path so rain drains to the sides, add a ditch where drainage is poor, and surface the primary paths with gravel, wood chips, flat stones or a raised boardwalk, because an unsurfaced path in a wet climate becomes a mud bog.
Part of Settlement Layout for 150 People
Path network design sets the width, grade, crown and surface of the foot and cart paths that join a settlement’s zones.
Width Follows The Biggest Thing That Must Pass
A primary path is sized by the widest normal traffic: a handcart, or two people each carrying a load, passing each other. That is the layout guide’s reason for 2-3 m. A secondary path serves one household and carries one person or a barrow, so 1-1.5 m is enough.
Surfaces trade labour against life:
| Surface | Strength | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | Best durability and drainage | Hauling and laying |
| Wood chips | Comfortable underfoot | Replace about annually |
| Flat stones or salvaged pavers | Permanent | Labour-intensive to lay |
| Raised boardwalk | Works in swampy ground | Timber, and rot over time |
What You Need
- Gravel, chips, stone or timber for the surface, depending on the table
- A line level or A-frame to check slope (A-Frame Level)
- Spade and rake for crowning and ditches
Method: Crown, Drain, Surface
Step 1: Stake the centreline and set the finished level so the path never sits lower than the ground beside it.
Step 2: Crown the path. Make the centre slightly higher than the edges so rain runs off sideways. For roads, Road Layout gives a crown of 5-8%; a footpath needs less.
Step 3: Dig drainage ditches beside paths where the ground is poor. Run them to an outlet away from wells and houses (Drainage Ditches).
Step 4: Surface the primary paths from the table. Gravel is laid in layers over a dry, firm subgrade.
Worked Example: Surfacing A Primary Loop
Inputs: a primary path of 400 m, 2.5 m wide (mid-range of 2-3 m); gravel to the 175-275 mm combined thickness Gravel Roads gives for roads, used here as an upper bound for a path that carries carts.
- Area: 400 m × 2.5 m = 1,000 m².
- Volume at 0.175 m: 1,000 × 0.175 = 175 m³; at 0.275 m: 1,000 × 0.275 = 275 m³.
- A footpath of lighter use can take less, but a cart path should be built to the road thickness.
That is a large haul for a small settlement, which is why secondary paths are often left as compacted earth with a crown and a ditch, and gravel is spent on the primary loop.
Common Mistakes
- No crown — water stands in the wheel ruts.
- Wood chips on a steep path — they wash away; use stone steps or gravel.
- Paths a metre too narrow for a stretcher.
Safety
Slippery and steep paths
A wet boardwalk or a steep chip-covered path causes falls, particularly with loads. Cut cleats or use stone on grades where people carry water, and keep path grade within what a loaded cart can hold: Road Layout limits loaded animal carts to about 8-10%.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Cart and Vehicle Routes — the heavier traffic
- Combine with: Accessibility and Aging in Place — paths that suit people with limited mobility