Volunteers help replace bridge swept away by Dales flooding

The flash floods – which hit Arkengarthdale and Swaledale on July 30, 2019 – washed away 12 bridges in total and destroyed more than 3km of footpaths and bridleways.

The sturdy new crossing at Cringley Bottom was built with the help of a donation of nearly £7,000 from the Swaledale Outdoor Club.

It took four weeks for a team of three – an access ranger, an apprentice access ranger and a Dales Volunteer – to build abutments and assemble the bespoke bridge.

After being hit by further flooding in January and February, followed by the coronavirus lockdown, rangers still have another four footbridges to repair.

Area ranger Michael Briggs said: “Normally we can get most flood repairs done before the next one – but not in this case. We’re repairing work that was two floods ago.”

Cringley Bottom is on the Coast-to-Coast, the most popular long distance walking route in the country.

Mr Briggs says he has noticed more young walkers out backpacking and camping on the route. He said: “Making the coast-to-coast a National Trail is an objective of the National Park Management Plan, so we are keen to invest time and effort into the route to keep it looking well and easy to use.

"It’s also nice to make good one more path which was damaged in the terrible floods of last year.”

Swaledale Outdoor Club treasurer Tim Blenkin said 2020 was to be their 41st marathon but it had to be cancelled.

He added: "We asked entrants to make a voluntary donation to the flood repair work in the dale and this has raised £1,940.50. Also in recognition of the benefits Swaledale Outdoor Club gains from using public rights of way maintained by the rangers, the club committee, fully backed by the members, agreed to donate a further £5,000 to this vital work.”