Over £1m has been spent on path repairs following the floods in Cumbria in 2009, according to the Lake District National Park Authority.
Two years after record-breaking floods caused havoc in Cumbria, the authority is still repairing damage and restoring the rights of way network.
An LDNPA survey indicated that some 253 bridges needed repairing or replacing to increase the resilience of the rights of way network in case of future flooding disasters.
[pullquote] The unprecedented rainfall in November 2009 left a trail of destruction across the national park
Dylan Jackman, LDNPA [/pullquote]
So far 180 bridges have been repaired by local contractors under the supervision of national park teams and where ever possible the project teams utilise local suppliers and materials to develop skills and capacity within small rural businesses across the county.
The landmark million pound repair was carried out to the bridleway running from Water Side House to Finsthwaite House, near Newby Bridge and involved Commercial Groundworks from High Bentham using 90 tonnes of local stone to improve and repair paths and drains.
Dylan Jackman, LDNPA Paths for the Public Project Co-ordinator, said: “The unprecedented rainfall in November 2009 left a trail of destruction across the national park and what happened to this path was repeated in dozens and dozens of locations all over the national park,”
Funding from Defra, Cumbria County Council and the Rural Development Programme for England has helped with some of the works.
Mr Jackman added:“There are still further repairs and improvements to be complete before the end of the project in March 2013.
“Work on the ground continues unabated during the winter months, meanwhile our in-house staff will be preparing work with landowners and partners so that river works can be complete within the Environment Agency consent period of June to September 2012,”