Fix the Fells (FtF) Volunteer Lengthsmen are a group of 120 trained volunteers who support full-time National Trust upland path teams to undertake routine path maintenance and repairs to protect the spectacular Lakeland fells from erosion and damage.
Location: Lake District, Cumbria
The core work of the volunteers involves ‘drain runs’ – maintenance patrols which ensure paths are kept clear and their water drainage is working effectively. Last year, volunteers spent 2237 days in the fells, looking after the mountain paths – a record number of volunteer days for the Fix the Fells volunteer scheme since it began 10 years ago. A well maintained path is far less likely to deteriorate to the point where it will need larger works, so in the long run these patrols save an enormous amount of work.
The drain run process is organised and managed by the volunteers themselves who have developed and organised their efforts into an exemplar scheme which is now being copied across the country.
Find out more: www.fixthefells.co.uk
