Walkers using a path near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales national park will find the going easier – with the greatful contribution from a group of volunteers from RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
The 10 RAF personnel spent the day working with Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority staff to carry out much-needed repairs to a popular section of public footpath near Aysgill Force.
The volunteers – who spend their working day maintaining the fleet of Tucano training aircraft seen regularly flying over the National Park – were taking part in an RAF development scheme.
They built new timber revetments to hold the path together and then used green wheelbarrows to transport 16 tons of stone to the site before compacting it to create a new surface to the path.
Sgt John Purcell, who organised the visit, said: “The National Park is a great training area for RAF pilots, so it’s good for us to be able to come and give something back. A lot of personnel from the base regularly walk in the Yorkshire Dales during their time off, so it’s been easy to get volunteers to come and help out the Ranger Service.”
Malcolm Petyt, the Authority’s Member Champion for Recreation Management, said: “I have struggled over this path several times in recent years and I am delighted that our RAF friends have done such a thorough job on it. It should now be easier for everyone.”
