Historic flood-hit path reopens on fifth anniversary of Storm Desmond
A historic path in the Lake District which was destroyed during Storm Desmond has reopened to the public today.
The Keswick to Threlkeld trail took five years and eight million pounds to rebuild after floodwaters swept away the path and bridges along the route.
During construction, two new crossings have been built and a 200m of brand new path has been created. Organisers say the improvements to the trail will make it more resilient to future damage.
During construction, an 80-metre long Victorian tunnel was uncovered. The 150-year-old structure was filled in after the railway line was scrapped under the Beeching cuts in the early 1970s.
After weeks of hard work, thousands of tonnes of debris was dug out of the tunnel uncovering original brick work and features that are in a remarkable condition. This is now a feature of the route which walkers and cyclists can enjoy.
Lake District National Park Area Ranger, Cath Johnson, said: “It’s very exciting to be nearly at the end of this project and be able to officially open the route and share the on-site interpretations with the wider community.
"We’d like to take the opportunity, once again, to thank everyone for their patience during the project and can’t wait to see the Keswick and Threlkeld communities enjoying this much-loved route once again.”