Tonnes of stone have been hoisted up and down Roseberry Topping to kick start repairs to the path network damaged by years of erosion.
The National Trust and North York Moors National Park Authority are working in partnership to deliver a programme of path restoration for ten paths - a mix of permissive routes and public rights of way - so visitors can continue to enjoy their time in nature. Work has started and a helicopter has been used to carry heavy materials to the relevant sites along the route. This will enable the contractors to work safely to deliver the new path surface with added drainage and replace lost vegetation.
Thousands of local residents and visitors to Teesside enjoy the walk up this 1050-foot iconic hill in the landscape, to be rewarded with far-reaching views. Over time, erosion has led to the formation of scars on the hillside, some already visible from a distance. Without repair these would continue to expand.
As the grass and vegetation is eroded with footfall, the exposed soil is at the mercy of the elements and with increasing weather extremes, the rain forms channels that become deeper over time. Naturally people may then choose an easier path, and the problem escalates further.
Mark Bradley, Countryside Manager for the National Trust said, “Without the helicopter it would be impossible for the contractors to carry out the work needed as it’s such a steep landscape. Each bag weighs around 900kg and the team are maximising every opportunity available, using return flights to move larger and smaller rocks where they will be needed along the route”.
Visitors to Roseberry may find their usual path is closed with a diversion in place to an alternative route.
Naomi Green, Senior Ranger for the North York Moors National Park Authority, said, “Roseberry Topping is a glorious location and so easily accessible from nearby towns and communities, but its fame and popularity has come at a price. The continuous and ever-accelerating loss of soil and vegetation is bad for nature and the environment, as well as a risk to people. The work we’re doing now will provide robust paths and improved drainage, not only improving accessibility for visitors, but allowing Roseberry’s scars to heal.”
Repairs to the first path are expected to take around 4-6 months and further work for the remaining nine paths will be staggered over the coming years.
Keep up to date at nationaltrust.org.uk/roseberrytopping and if visiting, thank you for sticking to the designated routes and paths.
ENDS
Notes to editors
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Contact andrew.davies@nationaltrust.org.uk for further interviews with the National Trust and n.beadle@northyorkmoors.org.uk for the North York Moors National Park Authority.
For further details around the project: Roseberry Topping paths | North Yorkshire | National Trust
About the National Trust
The National Trust is a conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people: Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, who saw the importance of the nation's heritage and open spaces and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. Today, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we continue to look after places so people and nature can thrive.
The challenges of the coronavirus pandemic have shown this is more important than ever. From finding fresh air and open skies to tracking a bee's flight to a flower; from finding beauty in an exquisite painting or discovering the hidden history of a country house nearby - the places we care for enrich people's lives.
Entirely independent of Government, the National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline and 500 historic properties, gardens and nature reserves. In 2021/22 we received 20 million visitors. The National Trust is for everyone - we were founded for the benefit of the whole nation, and our 5.7 million members and over 44,000 volunteers support our work to care for nature, beauty, history for everyone, for ever.
The North York Moors National Park
The North York Moors is a beautiful landscape of stunning moorland, ancient woodland and historic sites. Created on 28 November 1952, it became Britain’s sixth national park. Covering an area of 554 square miles (1,436 square kilometres) the National Park has 26 miles of coastline, two national nature reserves, 840 Scheduled Monuments and over 3,000 listed buildings, attracting an estimated 8.4 million visitors a year.
The National Park has two visitor centres, Danby Lodge National Park Centre and Sutton Bank National Park Centre, providing opportunities for cycling, walking, eating, picnicking, shopping, crafts and wildlife-watching. The centre in Danby also houses the Inspired by… gallery, which features regularly changing exhibitions by artists who draw their inspiration from the North York Moors.
The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for this beautiful corner of Yorkshire, providing apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities with nearly 14% of staff being apprentices from local families.
To view other press releases and for further information about the North York Moors National Park, visit www.northyorkmoors.org.uk