Lake District: Volunteers 'fix the fells' at popular walking route

Seven volunteers from the British Mountaineering Council's (BMC) joined charity Fix the Fells, as well its volunteer development ranger, in Langdale.

Both organisations work to give some love to the paths and trails that make every outdoor-goer's hike possible and their aim was to repair popular walking path The Band.

Fix the Fells is a team of skilled rangers and volunteers who repair and maintain the mountain paths in the Lake District with funding from donations and partners.

The BMC consists of hundreds of volunteers who are out fixing routes 365 days year all over the UK and joined the Fix the Fells volunteers as part of their 'Get Stuck In' programme.

Steve Tonkin is the fundraising manager for Fix the Fells.

He said: "We maintain and monitor nearly 200 paths, totalling nearly 400 km, and we are surveying another 325 paths.

"Volunteers from BMC came to join and they were great. We were grateful for the gift they gave us which was essential path work tools, including the most important - shovel!

"The weather we've had this week and the amount of rain we've had this year has been phenomenal so the soft ground can be a challenge for repairs.

"All the volunteers worked so hard, however. They did a range of repairs to the path, including drainage and a short run of stone-pitched steps.

"This will help water drain off the path and encourage walkers to stay on the path which reduces erosion from both water and footfall to the surroundings."

Walking routes and fell paths all around the UK can be at risk not only from the weather but also by the same boots that love them.

The organisations therefore try to raise awareness of the importance of conserving the landscape.

When asked what the public can do to help, Steve said: "Simply use the path.

"At the end of a gruelling walk, it can be tempting to take shortcuts across the grass or walk at the side of the path alongside friends - of course, once this becomes worn other people will continue to follow and this is how more erosion occurs.

"Try to stick the designated paths where you can  - as this is also a lot safer.

"Leave no trace and pick after you but one way people can really help us to donate. If you see one of our rangers out on the fells, they have a QR code on their backpack which can be used to donate. 

"Alternatively, people can text 'FELLS' to 70525."

The vast majority of the donations is spent on practical path works which included pre-emptive work, maintenance and repairs.

The main costs are staff, tools, machinery, seed and vehicles. Fix the Fells' helicopter lifts to move rocks to the work sites costs in the region of £60,000 each year.

To find out more about Fix the Fells, visit the website.