A partnership looking after paths and landscapes in the Lake District has successfully completed a project funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to improve over 32 hectares of upland habitat.

Fix the Fells, a multi-agency partnership consisting of the National Trust, the Lake District National Park Authority, the Lake District Foundation, Natural England, and Friends of the Lake District, received a £1.5 million ERDF grant.

Additional funding of £1 million was provided by the National Trust, the Lake District National Park Authority, and other fundraised income.

Over the past five years, the partnership has surpassed its target by 9 per cent, repairing 29.75km of path and restoring 32.7 hectares of habitat.

The completion of this project is a significant milestone in Fix the Fells' ongoing efforts to protect upland environments.

Funding for future projects has been secured through the National Trust's sponsor, Cotswold Outdoors, and Natural England's upgrade project to develop Wainwright's Coast to Coast path into a National Trail.

Isabel Berry, Partnership Manager for Fix the Fells, said: “We’re really grateful to the ERDF for its funding and we’re planning to build on everything we’ve learned during that time to take into our upcoming projects.

"Thanks to Natural England and Cotswold Outdoors, future projects are lined up until the end of next year. We’re still looking to work with additional donors, whether corporate, individual or charitable to gather more funding to supplement the annual programme of maintenance and repairs, and to expand our work.”

Each year the teams maintain and enhance 400 miles of paths out of the 1,926 across the Lake District. These often lie within Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), across peatland or areas with important plant communities.

Annie Duckworth, LDNPA Ranger at Fix the Fells, said: "The demand for our work has never been greater. The combination of vulnerable upland environments, intensified weather patterns and a growing influx of visitors year on year continues to contribute to high levels of erosion. The work we do is crucial to preserve both the ecological integrity and scenic beauty of the Lake District fells."