Many Lakeland bridges and paths, such as this site near Whiteless Pike, were damaged in the floods
The bill for repairing the Lake District’s footpaths and bridleways damaged by the area’s devastating 2009 floods has topped £1m.
The national park authority has so far repaired 180 bridges from a total of 253 which it identified as needing work after deluges hit Cumbria in November 2009.
The landmark £1m repair was carried out to the bridleway running from Water Side House to Finsthwaite House, near Newby Bridge and involved contractors using 90 tonnes of local stone to improve and repair paths and drains.
Lake District National Park Authority’s paths for the public project co-ordinator Dylan Jackman 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.
“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.”
Funding from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Cumbria County Council and the Rural Development Programme for England has enabled the work to be carried out and wherever possible the project teams have used local suppliers and materials to develop skills and capacity within small rural businesses across the county.
