Quarry workers turn out to help repair Pennine Way

STAFF from a dale quarry joined volunteers to carry out much-needed repairs to part of the Pennine Way.
Workers from Cemex, at Forcegarth, Forest-in-Teesdale, contributed their time – and three tonnes of stone – to fill potholes and improve the path between Low Force and High Force as part of a North Pennines AONB Partnership project called Pennine Way People.
Volunteer co-ordinator Simon Fawcett explained that due to the high numbers of people walking the iconic trail through the North Pennines, the path had been slowly eroded away.
This meant people were walking on the verges to avoid puddles and potholes – destroying valuable flora and fauna.
Having started at Low Force and headed up river, the volunteers then moved on to Holwick Head Bridge, going up stream to High Force.
Mr Fawcett said the partnership was grateful to Cemex for donating the stone and the volunteers’ time and also to a local farmer who had helped with access to the path.
More volunteer work parties were out and about as part of Pennine Way People last week. Drainage repairs have been carried out between Middleton-in-Teesdale and Grassholme, while signposts have been replaced in Northumberland.
Other work included replacing wire netting at Tan Hill and Widdy Bank and clearing fallen tree branches from the route.
Simon Wilson, planning and strategic access officer for the AONB, said in addition to the work parties the Pennine Way People project involved volunteers becoming “champions” for stretches of the route.
And while funding for the work parties finishes at the end of this month, he said the Pennine Way volunteer champions would continue to keep an eye on things.
“The idea is to involve more people in looking after the trail,” he added. “The volunteers enjoy it and we get the route maintained.
“We received funding from the Pennine National Trails Partnership to get the work parties up and running.
“We will definitely continue with the champions and our intention is that we continue with this work after the end of March. We will seek to fund tasks next financial year and into the future.”
Mr Wilson said it was also hoped the Pennine Way People project would influence the way volunteers helped maintain national trails in other parts of the country.