Lake District National Park Authority, National Trust and Natural England have teamed up to launch the Fix the Fells scheme, which aims to repair 43 eroded upland paths on the Lake District fells.

The five-year project – launched in January and due for completion in 2011 – is encouraging volunteers with good practical skills and navigation knowledge to take part in the restoration task.

The Authority’s volunteer co-ordinator Tim Duckmanton said: “Experience isn’t essential, because we give full and diverse training, from path repair work to first aid, upland heritage to working with the public.”

Fix the Fells is a continuation of a previous scheme called The Lake District Upland Paths Landscape Restoration Project, which set out to repair 70 of 145 eroded paths between 2001 and 2006, with Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) funding.

The scheme was so successful that it managed to restore 102 within the original budget and timescale, leaving 43 remaining paths for future repair work and funding.

Both schemes have received financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Tourism and Conservation Partnership, Friends of the Lake District and The Ramblers Association. Details: www.fixthefells.co.uk