Footpath faeries

From the cliffs of Cornwall to Scotland's western isles, committed volunteers are giving their time to keep the nation's trails safe.

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Up through the dappled oak grove, across a tinkling stream and out into open fields. It's a lunchtime walk I do a lot, living here in West Yorkshire's lush Upper Calder Valley. Recently, I'd been skirting around a sad-looking boardwalk on the verge of collapse. This time, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find it had been replaced with a new one. Not only that, but two freshly painted waymarks had been reinstated along the ambling footpath.

But I hadn't seen anyone up there with tools and materials. In fact, other than the newly improved features, there was no trace of work having been done at all. No boot prints or scuffed earth. No trampled plants. It was as if by magic. So, if not faeries, who was looking after this much-loved path?

After a bit of digging, I came across a local group called Community Rights of Way Service – or CROWS for short.

As I discovered, they're one of the many volunteer armies secretly keeping the nation's trails in great condition. While they may not have wings or wands, what they do have is good sturdy boots, a shed-load of tools and the positive attitude needed for a team that heads into the hills rain or shine. Thanks to groups like CROWS, walkers and other path users can continue adventuring out on favourite or newly discovered routes. We all benefit from their work, but how many of us are aware of the hours these volunteers put in behind the scenes?

From the sea-blown cliffs of the South West Coast Path to the far-flung reaches of Scotland's western isles, people are giving their time to fight for our footpaths. Sometimes, these efforts are organised by well-known charities, such as the National Trust, which work with volunteers on targeted route-conservation projects. Other times, as in the case of CROWS, volunteers are self-led, responding to reports from local councils or members of the public when a path is losing accessibility.