National Walking Month

Between April and June 2023, every Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need customer was given the chance to add a small donation to their purchase.

In 2024, the BMC supported seven new Mend Our Mountains projects across England and Wales, using this funding and more from the BMC’s Access and Conservation Trust charity (ACT).  These included:

A grants officer in the Cotswolds National Landscape to unlock funding pots for small, local projects like bridge repair and boardwalks over flooded paths

Funding for a ranger for Fix the Fells in the Lake District, to help restore and protect the National Park’s most popular footpaths

Collaborative funding towards repairing the badly eroded footpaths up Roseberry Topping in the North York Moors, using  stone pitching techniques employed by the Romans

Funding for 800m of badly eroded, gullied footpath to be repaired with local flint and chalk on the South Downs Way up to the iconic Chanctonbury Ring

Collaborative funding towards a new 20m span bridge at Cressbrook Mill, made of 26,000 recycled plastic bottles

Funding for footpath and crag base repair at Haytor Rocks and the surrounding tors, a popular climbing area in Dartmoor

Funding for Get Stuck In BMC volunteer days where teams join National Trust rangers to restore eroded footpaths in the Lake District and Eryri

We'd like to thank all supporters and volunteers for making vital work like this possible. Keep reading to learn more about what's happening this year because of your donations, including volunteering events you can get involved with.  

Senior Policy and Campaigns Manager Cath Flitcroft says,

“We’re thrilled to announce the six recipients of this year’s Mend Our Mountains funding. All are incredibly important projects run by dedicated and highly-skilled staff members and volunteers. They include funding an Access Officer for the Cotswolds AONB; funding a Fix the Fells ranger in the Lake District; restoring paths on Roseberry Topping in the North York Moors; fixing and making the footpath to Chanctonbury Ring in the South Downs more accessible; the replacement of Cressbrook Mill footbridge in the Peak District and many Get Stuck In volunteering opportunities with the National Trust in the Lake District, Snowdonia and Peak District.”

Chanctonbury Ring is an incredible prehistoric fort steeped in local folklore at the top of Chanctonbury Hill on the South Downs, West Sussex.

Legend has it that if you run seven times around the Ring naked on a moonless night you summon the devil who will offer you a bowl of soup, milk or porridge. In reality, the only devilish thing is the track leading up to the Chanctonbury Ring which has been badly eroded into deep ruts, making it difficult for people to access this historical site.

This year MOM funding went towards the repair of 800m of track and drainage ditches using local chalk and flint, keeping in line with the surrounding character of the area.

The 20m (60ft) footbridge across the River Wye connecting the hugely popular Monsal Trail with the charmingly named Water-Cum-Jolly Dale is in dire need of replacement.  

This picturesque hiking and climbing spot is where you’ll find Let the Tribe Increase on Rubicon Wall, BMC ambassador Steve McClure's 1000th 8a climb.  

The bridge was declared unsafe and closed in 2020. Along with Farming In Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funding, the Peak District Foundation and a number of other local fundraising pots, MOM has provided additional funds to replace the bridge to maintain this popular access point for local communities and visitors.

The 800 square mile Cotswolds AONB receives 37 million day visits a year, making MOM funding vital in ensuring safe passage for everyone who enjoys this protected area.  

In 2024, MOM funded Nina Stubbington for one year in the role of Grants and Access Officer for Cotswold Natural Landscape. Originally from Bournemouth and with a background in retail, Nina had already been their Grants and Outreach Officer for the past year thanks to the New to Nature scheme run by Groundwork.  

In her role from April 2024 to April 2025, Nina  allocated the DEFRA ‘Removing Barriers’ funding of £254,000 for work to improve access in the Cotswolds and make this protected landscape more accessible to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.  

In total, Nina unlocked funding to repair an estimated total of 7,197m of footpath across the Cotswolds National Landscape within 25 local projects, including boardwarlks over muddy ground through the woods in Nailsworth, mobility scooter accessible routes at Eastleach Downs Organic Farm and bridge restoration at Eastleach Turville.