Thousands of pounds have been raised for a massive project to fix the well-worn footpaths of England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike.
Last month, The Lake District Foundation (LDF) – the fundraising partner of the ‘Fix the Fells’ project, turned to the masses to help raise the money as part of the British Mountaineering Council’s ‘Mend our Mountains’ crowdfunding campaign.
The Lake District mountain was one of 13 different locations for a fundraising drive, with a total of £14,932 being raised in just 51 days. Now, the money raised will be passed from the LDF to the Fix the Fells project for Scafell Pike.
The campaign won the support of world-renowned mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, who told the charity he hopes the well-trodden routes will be made more robust and future-proof thanks to hundreds of generous donations.
Speaking during the fundraising efforts, Sir Chris said, “Everybody should be able to enjoy the stunning fells of the Lake District, but it’s vital that enjoyment doesn’t come at a cost to the fells themselves. Scafell Pike stands proudly as England’s highest mountain and understandably attracts thousands of people every year who want to add it to their list of outdoor achievements. While erosion makes getting to the top of any mountain more problematic, it can also result in people leaving the pathways and causing further damage. It is therefore correct for charities like the Lake District Foundation to raise the profile of the issue.”
The iconic Scafell Pike is classed as Fix the Fells’ number one priority for path repair work in the Lake District, due to the thousands of people who climb the mountain every year.
Funds raised by this campaign will be used to repair the damaged paths, rebuild drains and water bars along the length of the paths, build extra drains and reinforce edges to stabilise the surrounding areas.
Lake District Foundation Director Sarah Swindley says, “We’ve been blown away with the total amount raised for the Mend the Lake District Scafell Pike Crowdfunding campaign, part of the Mend our Mountain initiative. It’s absolutely fantastic to see so much support from those who pledged and businesses who provided rewards, thank you! We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working in partnership with BMC and the other National Parks for a superb cause.”
