A vast area of the Lake District, from the A66 in the North down to the South of Windermere, will reopen without restrictions on Wednesday along with other paths

around Alston and Hadrian's Wall in Cumbria.

This amounts to almost 65% of the total Lake District National Park and over 1,000 miles of Cumbria's footpaths.

All restrictions will be removed from three key areas.

In the Central Lake District, about 65 per cent of the national park, from the A66 in

the north to just south of Windermere village will open.

Alston fells, in east Cumbria including the Pennine Way Bewcastle will have restrictions lifted.

In the north east of Cumbria, pathways including the main section of Hadrian's Wall around Birdoswald Roman Fort will be open again.

Within these areas all footpaths, bridleways and other walking routes will be open as normal.

Walkers are asked to obey any disease control signs they

encounter, including footpath diversions, and to use disinfectant where it is provided.

Outside the areas, there are still many open low level paths and other sites available.

Information is available from tourist information centres and from

Cumbria County Council on www.cumbria.gov.uk/pathways.

Cumbria Tourist Board chief executive Chris Collier said: "With so much of Cumbria and the Lake District now open we can readily cater for walkers,

climbers and cyclists of all standards and abilities.

Tourism businesses and the communities of Cumbria are waiting to welcome back friends old and new in

good time to enjoy a wonderful summer holiday in England's most beautiful corner.

With so many disincentives to overseas travel at the moment, this

really is the year to enjoy a great value holiday right here in the UK, and we are proud and delighted to be able to provide it."

Cumbria County Council leader Rex Toft said: "A balance has to be struck between helping the tourist industry whilst doing what we can to protect our livestock

against the further spread of Foot and Mouth.

Its been an agonising time leading up to this decision but I feel we have struck that all important balance."

It is a latest in a series of footpath opening in Cumbria and part of an accelerating programme of removal of restrictions.