WALKERS are being asked to support a new campaign raising money to repair of one of the footpaths on the Yorkshire Three Peaks - a hugely popular walk for fundraisers.

The campaign, Pitch in for Whernside, has been launched by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA), as part of the British Mountaineering Council’s national ‘Mend Our Mountains: Make One Million’ fundraising campaign.

The aim is to raise £46,000 to re-build the severely eroded Bruntscar path, the main descent from the summit of Whernside. It is part of the Three Peaks walk which every year is walked by tens of thousands of people, many of them raising money for charity.

Kate Hilditch, area manager with the Yorkshire Dales National Parks Authority, said: “The steepest section is particularly susceptible to damage and the path is becoming increasingly eroded, undermining the local ecology and creating an ever-widening scar on Yorkshire’s highest hillside.

“In its current condition the path is extremely difficult to use, causing people to walk off route, which in turn is causing additional erosion on the adjacent slope. The scale of the task is huge given Bruntscar’s remote location and steep conditions.

“People love Yorkshire’s peaks. But with more people than ever enjoying what they have to offer, the paths take a great deal of skill and money to maintain. The Mend our Mountains campaign is about inspiring walkers everywhere with a positive message about the need to look after the places we care about.”

The BMC’s ‘Mend Our Mountains’ campaign – which includes ‘Pitch in for Whernside’ – will at first be targeted at corporate and other potential major funding sources.

Members of the public can still donate via; mendmountains.thebmc.co.uk but next year will also be able to get involved in crowd-funding campaigns and other activities to help get Whernside into a condition befitting Yorkshire’s highest peak.