We maintain over 3200km of public rights of way in the National Park. This takes a lot of work, so we prioritise our limited resources to resolving problems that pose the most significant risk and impact on path users.
We will investigate reports of issues considered dangerous and make sure these are made safe as soon as possible, either by us if it is our responsibility or by the landowner. The responsibility for issues relating to stiles, gates and obstructions lies with the landowner or tenant. In cases where the problem is restricting access, we will inform whoever is responsible and advise them on what action needs to be taken. Problems relating to bridges, paths surfaces and sign-posting are, in most cases, our responsibility and we will add these to our work programme.
We get a lot of reports of damage after heavy rainfall or windy weather so although we will document these, we may not be able to reply to every reporter.
Depending on the priority, complexity and resources required, issues can take a significant amount of time to resolve. We therefore cannot give timescales as to when the issue you have reported will be resolved.
If you are the landowner, you can find more information on what support is available for maintenance on the Gates and Stiles webpage (opens in a new window).
You’ll need the following information to report a problem on a right of way:
Without this information, we will not be able to process your report.
Please describe the location (for example, runs from / to nearest road or feature, or lane name), provide the path number if you know it, and describe the problem. Give us as much information as possible. This helps us to assess the problem and its cause and to plan the next steps.
If you are using your smartphone to report a problem while on site, there are apps such as OS Locate available which can provide an accurate grid reference. You can attach a screenshot of your location in your email to us.
Please tell us if you are the landowner, so that we can contact you to work out the best way to resolve the problem.
Email your report to hq@lakedistrict.gov.uk. It will then be sent to the relevant Ranger to investigate.
