Over 10km of mountain path maintained by BMC volunteers

Access News
•
21 Oct
•
2 min read

Over 20 BMC volunteers built steps, swept scree and cleared drainage ditches in the Lake District and Isle of Skye on the final two Get Stuck In path repair events this autumn, funded by the BMC Access & Conservation Trust.

Scotland

BMC Access & Conservation Trust trustee and Get Stuck In founder, Steve Charles, says, "BMC volunteers joined a group from OATS (Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland) and Mountaineering Scotland at end of September, staying at the Glen Brittle Memorial Hut on Skye. The BMC volunteers did four days of maintenance work on the paths leading up from Glen Brittle towards Sgurr Dearg, the Inaccessible Pinnacle and Coire Laggan. Overall, 141 cross-drains were cleared, often using mattocks to clear cement-like blockages. This is in addition to the 122 drains cleared last year, so that makes almost 6.5km of mountain path in total that has been protected from erosion by rainfall.

"These drains have to be maintained to stop them being blocked off by stones, mud and vegetation. This  leads to water flowing down the path and eroding it or washing parts of it away. No maintenance has been done in this area for at least a decade, so it was long overdue! We hope that this will be a regular event in collaboration with OATS and Mountaineering Scotland."

A total of 141 cross-drains were cleared, often using mattocks to clear cement-like blockages.

The Get Stuck In path repair is funded by the BMC Access & Conservation Trust's Mend Our Mountains campaign. To support more work like this to protect the mountains for future generations, join the BMC and/or donate.

Lake District

Steve continues, "The last BMC Get Stuck In path maintenance event of the year was held in mid-October. A total of 14 BMC volunteers stayed at the Fell and Rock Climbing Club (FRCC) hut at Brackenclose in Wasdale. We worked with Fix the Fells Rangers to build new drains and do some landscaping to help keep people on the main path up Scafell Pike. If people keep to the path, the delicate habitats either side of it are saved from erosion from footfall.

"All in all, 40m of path was upgraded with some steps, new drains and landscaping, and a further 3km of the path was maintained by clearing cross-drains and removing stones from the path surface. We enjoyed a communal meal in the hut on the second night, and then a pub meal at the Wasdale Head Inn on the third.

"For the rest of the year our attention will switch to day events carrying out sphagnum moss planting to rewet the peat bog and moorland restoration conservation work in the Peak District. Please join us if you can!"

All in all, 40m of path was upgraded with some steps, new drains and landscaping, and a further 3km of the path was maintained by clearing cross-drains and removing slip-hazard stones.

Protect the Sheffield Moors from Wildfire

Help us raise £50,000 this year to protect the Sheffield Moors from Wildfire - 81.2 hectares (114 football pitches!) of this beautiful moorland, including the popular walking and climbing areas of Stanage, Burbage, Froggatt and Curbar Edges, has been lost to wildfire since 2018.

Did you know that you can donate to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust entirely FREE simply by shopping online as you usually would, at any time of the year with Easyfundraising? It only takes two minutes to set up, here's how.

If you want to contribute to upland and mountain access and conservation causes like the above, then simply click here to donate to The BMC Access & Conservation Trust via The Climate Project or Mend Our Mountains campaigns at any time. One-off or regular donations of any amount are always most welcome.

Volunteer

Fancy fixing footpaths in the Lake District, placing stepping stones in Eryri or planting sphagnum in the Peak District? Sign up to one of our Get Stuck In events here. And if you can't volunteer, why not gift us the amount you would have spent in fuel or on a train fare getting to a volunteer event?

Leave a legacy

A wise person once said, the most noble thing you can do is to "plant trees under whose shade you will never sit" and, likewise, fund path repair projects on which you will never walk and moorland restoration projects which you will never see. If you'd like to make a lasting impact on the landscape long after you've left this world, please consider leaving us a legacy.

Access News

Over 10km of mountain path maintained by BMC volunteers

Over 20 BMC volunteers built steps, swept scree and cleared drainage ditches in the Lake District and Isle of Skye on the final two Get Stuck In path repair events this autumn, funded by the BMC Access & Conservation Trust.

21 Oct
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