25 years of Fix the Fells

Fix the Fells marks 25 years of protecting Lake District paths and landscapes

Established in 2001, the Fix the Fells partnership was created in response to the growing damage being caused to the fells by a combination of heavy footfall, steep terrain and the Cumbrian weather. Over time, popular routes had become badly eroded, creating scars on the landscape, damaging habitats, and washing soil and stone down into watercourses below.

Since it began, Fix the Fells has become a long-term conservation effort, repairing and maintaining hundreds of upland paths across the National Park. The partnership is made up of five individual organisations working together: The National Trust, Lake District National Park Authority, Natural England, Friends of the Lake District and the Lake District Foundation.

On the ground, professional rangers carry out skilled path repair work in all weathers. Among other projects, they are currently embarked on a three-year project to repair and maintain a popular Swirls Path route, Helvellyn – a route which begins from Swirls car park near the A591. The first year of the Helvellyn project is expected to cost £220,000 and will be the first significant work on the Swirls route since the 1980s.

The rangers’ work is supported by volunteers who help with smaller repairs. Last year, 147 volunteers spent 3,206 days maintaining paths, clearing drains and carrying out repairs on fells across the National Park.

Matt Tweed, Lead Ranger for Fix the Fells, said: “Twenty-five years after Fix the Fells began, our work is still about protecting the Lake District for people and nature. The pressure on the fells has not gone away, and careful path repair remains one of the most practical ways to look after this incredible landscape.”

Lorayne Wall, Head of Planning and Policy at Friends of the Lake District, said: “The Lake District is one of Britain’s best-loved landscapes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting millions of walkers each year. Twenty-five years on from when it was first established, the work of Fix the Fells remains as important as ever and we’re proud to be involved in this remarkable partnership.”

It costs Fix the Fells around £650,000 each year to deliver work which protects the Lake District for everyone to enjoy. All the money is fundraised, and every donation makes a difference. To donate, visit https://www.fixthefells.co.uk/ or search ‘Fix the Fells’.