Fixing the Fells Fife-style
29 August 2007
Most of us would be craving a comfy night’s sleep in a bed after a hard day’s graft fixing an upland footpath. For the intrepid volunteers of the Fife Air Cadets Conservation Group (FACCG), however, the experience wouldn’t be complete without an all-night vigil over their work-in-progress.
The group, led by staff from the National Trust’s High Wray Basecamp, were thwarted in their attempts to camp out and work high up on Scafell by an abysmal weather forecast. The alternative work site, on the path from the Kirkstone Inn to Stoney Cove Pike, was much lower down and a shorter walk from the road. But the group were still keen to camp out near to ‘their’ path whilst working.
Group members worked in small teams to install stepping stones across some of the boggier parts of the path, helping to tackle the problems of footpath erosion as part of the Fix the Fells project. Their distinctive ‘laavu’ tent blended surprisingly well into the landscape and staying near to the worksite allowed time for informal learning activities. In a guided walk in the evening, they learned more about the Lake District landscape and the tricky issue of balancing its preservation with access and recreation. Great emphasis was placed on the no-trace approach to wild camping as part of the exercise, with all waste carried out – together with, inadvertently, several kilos of mud!
High Wray Basecamp is a residential centre for conservation volunteering, aimed at involving volunteer groups of all ages and from all walks of life in undertaking conservation work across the Lake District. The FACCG is a regular visitor to Basecamp, with their usual two trips per year increased to three in 2007 with the introduction of this ‘adventure’ work task. The group consists of young people from diverse backgrounds from all over Fife. They are already looking forward to their return visit in October!
