Teams on the Ground
The National Trust Upland Path Teams are based in the central Lake District valleys and work on fell paths throughout the region. The staff are split into 4 teams:
Since the early 80s, the teams have evolved into a highly skilled workforce. To build a sustainable path and recreate a natural landscape, team members must be part craftsperson and part artist. Teams often visit other areas where similar work is undertaken and adapt ideas to the Lake District environment. Several new techniques have been developed, such as wire cloching.
From March to November, the teams work full-time on the fells, interspersing project work with minor repairs and general maintenance on the whole path network. They often do a week's work in four days to reduce time lost when walking to remote sites.
During the winter the teams move down into the valleys and work on fencing, walling, hedge laying and tree planting on National Trust properties.
On land not owned or managed by the National Trust, specialist contractors are employed to carry out the repair works.
A day in the life
by Nic Fish, Fix the Feller
"I work for the Eastern Upland Footpath Team. After leaving Bangor University with a degree in Leisure Management, I decided that it was about time to find myself a career.
I have always spent most of my free time in the countryside. Having been brought up in the Yorkshire Dales, hill walking has been a huge part of my life. So naturally I found myself looking at jobs in the outdoors. And what better place to start looking than on the National Trust website? However it wasn't as easy as that, not many jobs came up in the Lake District and the few that did were soon snapped up.
This is when I stumbled across the volunteer section on the website and I soon found myself volunteering every Monday with the Coniston Upland Footpath Team. I was working outside and I loved every minute of it. It was just a shame I could only do one day a week, then it was back to shop work.
Then after 4 months volunteering, some jobs came up on each footpath team. I grasped the opportunity with both hands and haven't looked back since. Doing such a skilled job has made me appreciate the hard work that goes into every bit of pitching, every dry stone wall built, every drain put in. Before starting the job I didn't realise the constant maintenance that goes into keeping this beautiful countryside looking as spectacular as it does today.
I have a lot of skills to learn still , but I shall look forward to testing and pushing myself even further in the years to come. Maybe even in a bit of sunshine, perhaps next year!"
