Volunteers from the RAF have been helping restore a path near Hawes, in Upper Wensleydale damaged by resent bad weather.
The 10 civilians and Ministry of Defence personnel, all from RAF Linton-on-Ouse, near York, spent the day working with Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority staff to carry out much needed repairs to a popular section of public footpath near Aysgill Force.
Matt Neale, the Authority’s Area Ranger for Upper Wensleydale, said: “This path has been deteriorating over the last few winters because the river erodes the surface when it floods.
“It had reached the point where it was getting difficult to use the footpath. The help from the RAF has been terrific, they did a sterling job.
“It is on a popular circular walk to Aysgill waterfall from the busy market town of Hawes so the new path will certainly get plenty of walking boots over it.”
The volunteers, who usually spend their working day maintaining the fleet of Tucano training aircraft seen regularly flying over the National Park, were taking part in an RAF development scheme.
They built new timber revetments to hold the path together and then used green wheelbarrows to transport 16 tons of stone to the site, before compacting it to create a new surface to the path.
Sgt John Purcell, who organised the visit, said: “The National Park is a great training area for RAF pilots, so it’s good for us to be able to come and give something back. A lot of personnel from the base regularly walk in the Yorkshire Dales during their time off, so it’s been easy to get volunteers to come and help out the Ranger Service.”
Malcolm Petyt, the Authority’s Member Champion for Recreation Management, said: “I have struggled over this path several times in recent years, and I am delighted that our RAF friends have done such a thorough job on it. It should now be easier for everyone.”