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The Future Of The Peak District.
by Bob Walker |
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Appearing out of the July drizzle, hiker Martin Booth makes his way across the Pennine Way. As he approaches the Snake Pass road on his way to Bleaklow Mountain he finds the boggy track becomes a flagstoned path ... the stones taken from the disused mill factories of the surrounding industrial towns.
This stretch of the Pennine Way in the Derbyshire Peak District has previously suffered from severe erosion with ramblers carving out a 70 metre wide strip across the sensitive moorland turf.
"I've just come from Kinder Scout mountain where the erosion's really bad," said Mr Booth.
"It's like a two-lane highway over there. This is much better."
Tens of thousands of hikers use the moors in the Peak District every year and some hotspots are suffering badly from the effects of tramping feet.
Over-grazing by sheep and the moorland fires which often break out during the summer are also damaging the environment.
But on Tuesday the National Lottery Heritage Fund announced a 拢3.1 million grant to help protect and regenerate some of the worst affected areas. It's the biggest single lottery grant of its kind and is part of a 拢4.7 million project which will involve re-planting, fencing, footpath protection and improved education for visitors.
In some inaccessible areas helicopters will be used to fly in flagstones and materials to harden moorland paths.
The grant has been widely welcomed by a range of conservation and hiking groups.
However John Riddall from the Ramblers' Association says the problems associated with hikers should be kept in perspective.
"In the Peak District by far the more visual form of damage is being caused by unauthorised quarrying where the operator has finished work and goes away and leaves great spoil heaps which scar the horizon for miles around and there are no means at present - without spending enormous amounts of money - of getting this kind of damage put right," he said.
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Fairbrook in the the Peak District.
Tracks like this beside the stream are popular with walkers. The surrounding heather and moorland can be easily damaged.
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The Kinder Downfall waterfall in the Peak District.
The Kinder Scout mountain is one of the areas badly affected by soil erosion
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Looking towards the Kinder Scout Mountain across Kinder Reservoir
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