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Horsepower's paving the way for airlifts to repair mountain paths

Pony-power: Fell pony Mystery, pictured with John Strong, carried far more up the mountain than a team of men would manage
Photo Credited: Cumberland News

Published on 23/03/2007
Article credited to the Cumberland News

ANCIENT and modern transport techniques are being brought together to help repair footpaths across the Cumbrian mountains.

The National Trust footpath repair team used pony power to carry 200 large empty bags from Black Sail Youth Hostel in Ennerdale to Loft Beck, to help mend the popular coast-to-coast long distance route.

The bags will subsequently each be filled with a ton of stone and airlifted to the parts of the footpath which need repair work doing.

Half a dozen fell ponies took part in Wednesday's operation - a job that the National Trust's Paul Delaney said would have taken 20 men far longer to accomplish.

He said: "It's the first time we have tried this method of transport and we will definitely be doing it again in the future. It worked out very successfully and the ponies obviously enjoyed themselves."

The ponies came from Christine Robinson's Kerbeck Stud at Lamplugh.

Mr Delaney said: "We took the 200 bags up in two trips and some of us were struggling to keep up with the fell ponies. I have known Christine for some years and we had talked about doing this in the past. This is definitely the way to move bags in the future."

The path at Loft Beck is in need of urgent erosion control and path repair, as part of the fixthefells project.

A mixture of experienced volunteer handlers and National Trust staff led the ponies.

The alternative would have been to use more helicopters, 4x4 vehicles, or teams attempting to carry bags, 10 at a time.

Paul Delaney said: "This method has far less impact on the landscape and keeps traditional methods of transport alive."

Please go to website below for more on this article and more images.
http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=480082

The Fell Pony Society would like to thank the Cumberland News for letting us use this article.

The following photographs are courtesy of the National Trust.

Unloading pack ponies	Unloading site	Paul Delaney (National Trust)
	Paul Delaney (National Trust)	Pack ponies get their packs
Raring to go	Kerbeck Night Serenade, age 18. s. Frizington Duke, d. Sleddale Rosemary
Kerbeck Thor's Fire, age 6. s. Peepings Enterprise, d. Kerbeck Night Serenade. Owner Sue Morris (livery)
		Kerbeck Fire Cracker, age 7. s. Peepings Enterprise, d. Sleddale Rosemary III










Gill Kilburn does a nice Julie Andrews impression! with Kerbeck Fire Cracker, age 7. s. Peepings Enterprise, d. Sleddale Rosemary III Owner Gill Kilburn (liveried at Kerbeck)
Kerbeck Night Serenade, age 18. s. Frizington Duke, d.Sleddale Rosemary III. Owner Christine Robinson.

Kerbeck Fire Cracker, age 7. s. Peepings Enterprise, s. Sleddale Rosemary III. Owner Gill Kilburn.
	Kerbeck Solar Fire, age 20, s.Frizington Duke, d. Greenfield Cobweb. Owned by Gill Kilburn/Sarah Kilburn-Wilson
	Kerbeck Fire Cracker, age 7. s. Peepings Enterprise, s. Sleddale Rosemary III. Owner Gill Kilburn.
Kerbeck Fire Cracker, age 7. s. Peepings Enterprise, s. Sleddale Rosemary III. Owner Gill Kilburn.










FPS Vice Chairman Christine Robinson with Kerbeck Solar Fire, age 20, s. Frizington Duke, d. Greenfield Cobweb. Owned by Gill Kilburn/Sarah Kilburn-Wilson (liveried at Kerbeck)


		Kerbeck Thor's Fire, age 6. s. Peepings Enterprise, d. Kerbeck Night Serenade.Owner Sue Morris (livery)

Kerbeck Thor's Fire, age 6. s. Peepings Enterprise, d. Kerbeck Night Serenade. Owner Sue Morris (livery)

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Horsepower's paving the way for airlifts to repair mountain paths

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