1,000 Hours Spent Repairing Popular Lake District Path

A popular Lake District walking route near Easedale Tarn has been successfully restored following months of work by Fix the Fells rangers.
Walkers visiting the area may have spotted rangers working above Stythwaite Steps earlier this year, where the path between the steps and Easedale Tarn had suffered severe erosion due to heavy use. Muddy sections, washed-away soil and stone, and a loss of vegetation had made parts of the route difficult to navigate.
Since April, four specialist upland path rangers have spent more than 1,000 hours repairing a 400-metre section of the trail. The project cost £34,070 and was funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with support from Westmorland and Furness Council.
The restoration work included installing stone drainage channels, laying a hard-wearing stone-pitched path surface and creating small pools designed to slow the flow of water across the hillside. As well as protecting the path, the pools have already begun to support local wildlife, attracting species such as newts and dragonflies.
Isabel Berry, manager of the Fix the Fells Partnership, said the project would not have been possible without the funding. She explained that Fix the Fells relies entirely on fundraising and grants to tackle erosion hotspots across the Lake District National Park.
Pete Entwistle, the Fix the Fells area ranger who led the work, said completing the project this year was a real achievement. He added that balancing environmental protection with the needs of walkers can be challenging, but the immediate improvements at Stythwaite Steps have made the effort especially worthwhile.