Tree Trashed Lakeland Paths Re-opened For Spring

Some 70 per-cent of Cumbrian rights of way closed by the January storms that brought down half a million trees in just ten minutes have now been re-opened, says forestry partnership Cumbria Woodlands and the Forestry Commission.

The storm in January generated winds of up to 102mph and caused huge damage in a mere 10 minutes of peak actiivity. One estimate is that the winds felled approximately 800 trees every second. Two months of intensive clearing work means that many paths and access routes blocked by fallen trees have now been cleared in time for the peak walking season which begins in spring.

Before the clearances, paths were blocked both by uprooted trees and those which had snapped off at the trunk, however more than two thirds of Cumbrian walking routes are now passable again. Crucially for the local economy, some 60 per-cent of the area's annual 12 million visitors say that walking is a major attraction and a significant number of them will walk at lower levels.

Waking up the morning after the wind damage, the forestry community in Cumbria faced a massive challenge with 200 hectares of forest estimated to be flattened on FC land alone. This damage needed to be cleared along with the scattered dangerous trees on footpaths and other routes to ensure public access could be safely restored." Said Edward Mills, Director of Cumbria Woodlands.

"Pulling together our resources, we have achieved the impossible in record time to open up Cumbria's network of paths and trails in time for the start of the trekking and outdoor pursuits season."

So there you go. Nice work Cumbria Woodlands. If you're considering a forest walk, check out the Forestry Commission site covering Cumbria for latest details on which routes are still closed off due to windblow.