International Trails Day: Champions of the trail

3 June 2023

It’s International Trails Day, and here in the North Pennines AONB we have one of the best trails there is – the Pennine Way. Seventy-three miles of this iconic trail run through our upland landscape, with arguably some of the best views and walking experiences of the whole route.

We spoke to three of our volunteers who give their time as Pennine Way Champions to look after the National Trail. Brian, Richard and Steve all look after stretches of the route in Northumberland.

Brian Place said: “My section is from Slaggyford to the Glendue Burn. The views are spectacular up and down the South Tyne Gorge and Hadrian’s Wall in the distance to the north.

“I have walked the fells since a teenager, progressed to mountains, then in 1970 at 26 years old I found the Pennine Way. I was captured by the magic of the distance, the challenge, and the scenery. Backpacking with a tent became the best way to enjoy the great outdoors. When I retired, I looked for volunteering roles that I could enjoy. I eventually signed up as a Pennine Way Champion in February 2017 and have enjoyed it ever since. I enjoy putting something into the Pennine Way as I have had so much out of it.

“A typical day involves meeting up at the designated parking spot, walking onto to the task site with tools and materials. Using my work life skills and learning new skills from the coordinator and other volunteers, and meeting walkers on the trail as we are working.”

Richard Kent first encountered the Pennine Way as a backpacker with a tent: “I then became interested in fell running and have run it in sections. Nowadays I prefer to take my time using Youth Hostels and other accommodation providers. Volunteering allows me to maintain my connection to this wonderful route, it provides me with a sense of place, a sense of home. It’s somehow timeless. I have been volunteering for six years.

“My main section runs over the fells between Lambley and Greenhead via Wainrigg Fell. It is one of the easiest places to get lost on the Pennine Way and my first experience of it was twenty years ago in a terrible storm where I fell into a muddy section and later realised that I’d lost my guidebook and map in the process; it must still be up there somewhere. We have managed to improve the section over the last few years and have a list of items for further improvement. It’s a good thing that the Pennine Way has some challenging, rough sections, it keeps it interesting.

“One memorable repair was a stile on the section that is furthest away from the road on a freezing cold winter day. We knew that the Spine Race runners were about to go over it a week later. On a typical day I leave the house about 9am and am often picked up by another volunteer (Steve), returning usually early afternoon, so it’s not a long day. I dress for rough weather and prepare to come home ready for a shower. The day often involves some walking to the site carrying tools and repair materials, which allows you time to look at the scenery and a chat about the task ahead. The work itself is based on good practical common sense and it helps if you have experience of basic hand tools.”

Steve Rozario looks after a four-mile section from the Glendue Burn to the Kellah Burn in Northumberland. He told us: “It starts on the line of an old Roman Road in the North Pennines, quite high with good views north to the Roman Wall and Cheviots on a clear day. Then it drops down to lower country, all farming now but once the site of coal mining, across the Hartley Burn and through an old farm steading at Ulgham to the Kellah Burn. It is amazing for moorland bird life, with curlews, skylarks, grouse, lapwings, wheatears. Occasionally a snipe will burst from underfoot or a dipper will flit away in one of the burns. Peregrine falcons nest nearby and are seen overhead sometimes. I haven’t yet seen a hen harrier although I remain ever hopeful as one of their few breeding grounds in England is nearby. As an amateur geologist I also like the geology on my section. The section starts on the ‘Alston block’, an area of uplifted Carboniferous rocks underpinned by the Weardale Granite. It then crosses the Stublick Fault, where there is an obvious change of landscape from the high moors to lower-level farmland. The Stublick fault connects at depth to the Iapetus Suture, a former tectonic plate boundary – Scotland and England were once separated by a vast ocean and this ‘suture’ is where the continents collided. So every time I walk my section I cross an old tectonic plate boundary! Fortunately, it’s long dormant so no major earthquakes are expected.

“There are two types of day. On ‘section monitoring’ days I go out to walk my section, checking the condition of footpath ‘furniture’ (gates, stiles, signposts etc) and for any problems. If I meet Pennine Way walkers I usually stop for a chat, asking them how they are getting on, where they have come from, and if they have found any problems on the route. We often combine section checks with the Champions with the neighbouring sections – this uses two cars but gives a nice linear walk and an opportunity to chat. If issues are found, we submit reports afterwards. I do section checks several times a year. The second type of day is a work party day, where a group goes out to fix a specific problem – rehanging a gate, replacing a stile or footpath sign, repairing bridges etc. These are good days in a small team of people, often on a section some distance from our own. We go out in all weathers, even in the depths of winter, to do this work.

“I think my most memorable experience was repairing a bridge footing on the Black Burn. I’d noticed the bridge was being undercut by bank erosion and preventative action was called for. I’d imagined that we’d need to bring in concrete or at least hard core and stone to protect the bank. But the team leader said that new sustainable techniques were much better. We built a large wooden box in the stream by the eroded footing, from untreated timber, and tied in lots of brash – twigs and small branches – with natural hemp ropes. When the water rises the brash in the box slows the water speed and sediment falls out. The box fills up and plants get established on it. The rope and timber eventually rot away leaving a stabilised natural bank with healthy plant growth. Every time I walk past, I check this, and I’m amazed how it’s all gradually happening just as forecast.”