FOOTPATHS are as essential to the British people's heritage as Buckingham Palace, said a National Lottery Fund chief.

On a first visit to the Lakes, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund Liz Forgan tramped some popular walkways to see how her million pound windfall for footpath restoration would be spent.

The grant, announced last month, will go towards vital work on 140 routes across the Lake District National Park, covering 20 kilometres of land.

Twelve million people visit the Lake District every year and a staggering 87 per cent of visitors go walking. The £1m boost to the Lake District Upland Paths Landscape Restoration Project means five years' work is now covered.

"There is an extraordinary passion for walking in this country, and along with that comes all sorts of problems to footpaths," said Ms Forgan.

"People think the Heritage Lottery Fund looks after stately homes and pictures. We do, but also a great deal more than that. Paths for people to walk on are as essential to our heritage as Buckingham Palace."

She described the Lake District as one of UK's most valuable assets and said she was looking forward to discovering some of it.

Richard Fox, upland paths officer with the Lake District National Park Authority, said about ten years' work was needed for restoration, half being carried out by the National Trust and half by the NPA.

"We need to find £70,000 a year to fund the programme," said Mr Fox, praising Friends of the Lake District's two contributions of £50,000 and £20,000.

The project is run by the Access Management Group, made up of English Nature, National Trust and NPA members.

Ms Forgan made reference to the area's hardships during and post foot-and-mouth and said it needed an economic boost.

Lottery players may not always become millionaires through purchasing a ticket, she added, but many Lake District walkers had hit the jackpot through the grant.

April 10, 2003 12:01