Nine Standards Rigg Path Work Completed

© Peter Bailey

A stretch of the popular Coast to Coast route formerly marred by trail erosion and peat bog degradation has been restored, in a project backed by celebrity walkers.

Nine Standards Rigg.  © Peter Bailey
Nine Standards Rigg.
© Peter Bailey, Oct 2006

In total, 392m of flagstone was flown to the site by helicopter and laid down to create the new footpath.

Staff from the North Pennines AONB Partnership, who were responsible for the project, joined walkers, locals, business owners and funders to mark the completion of a stretch of new footpath on Alfred Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast route, near Nine Standards Rigg on the border of Cumbria and Yorkshire.

The project - Raising the Standard - which was backed by celebrity outdoor enthusiasts Julia Bradbury and Amanda Owen - began over four years ago with the intention to restore damaged peat.

The fingerpost at nine Standards Rigg, before and after  © North Pennines AONB
The fingerpost at nine Standards Rigg, before and after
© North Pennines AONB

Alistair Lockett, Field Officer from the AONB Partnership, said:

“We’d heard about people getting stuck fast in the damaged bog. It was so bad the local mountain rescue team was being called out to rescue walkers. If the weather had been bad it was becoming extremely hard to cross and the original route planned out by Alfed Wainwright was in danger of becoming lost for good."

“Thanks to the generosity of the public, and some generous partners and funders, we’ve been able to improve the footpath and make it safe. Plus we’ve also planted new sphagnum moss which will help restore the damaged peat at the site.”

There had been concerns that businesses in nearby Kirkby Stephen would suffer if visitors were put off the route by horror stories of the state of the ground. 

Peatland restoration is an ongoing programme led by the AONB Partnership. As well as helping this important habitat recover the new footpath will provide thousands of walkers with a safe and sturdy surface on which to enjoy this classic route.

In partnership with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority a combination of a public-backed crowdfunding campaign, and support from the Friends of the North Pennines, British Mountaineering Council’s Access and Conservation Trust, Tesco, HF Holidays and the Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust, a total of £44k was raised for the work.

 


This post has been read 5,305 times

Return to Latest News



Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email