A section of the Pennine Way near the village of Hardraw in Wensleydale was repaired by volunteers and Access Rangers who repaired the path in the summer. The original flags stones on the path surface had become uneven or broken and difficult to walk on.
Reclaimed stone flags, sourced from Lancashire and West Yorkshire, were laid along 115-metres of the path.
Volunteers marshalled the two diggers, operated by the access rangers, and used spades and bars to make sure the flags were laid level.
Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery donated £6,350 to the repair project, having held back ten pence from every bottle or pint sold of one of their ales, the Pennine Ambler.
Stu Taylor from Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery said: “We use the Pennine Way trail ourselves, and are lovers of the outdoors – so it’s good to be able to give something back.”
Pennine National Trails Partnership Manager, Jo McAllister, who brings together more than a dozen local authority and other partners to maintain the 267-mile National Trail, said: “The Pennine Way takes a lot of looking after and we couldn’t do it without the help of volunteers as well as supporters such as Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery. The assistance provided by the landowner and tenant farmer in storing and transporting the stone flags was also much appreciated.”
She added: “If you want a challenging and spectacular walk on well-maintained paths, followed by a fine pint at a local pub, then look no further than the Pennine Way.“
Last year, 258 days of volunteer time were given to maintaining the Pennine Way, most of them in the North Pennines AONB, the Peak District or the Yorkshire Dales.