RECENT reorganisation within the National Park Authority has brought southern area rangers, previously based at Murley Moss head office, back to Brockhole Visitor Centre. This move was prompted by a re-structuring of the National Park Authority, which has resulted in the re-grouping of the ranger service.

Previously, the service was divided into four areas covering the National Park. Now there are just two divisions, north and south, whose boundaries coincide with local authority areas. The new southern area covers the same ground as South Lakeland and Copeland District Councils, from Dunmail Raise and the central Lakes Parish area out to Kentmere, Longsleddale, Witherslack, Haverthwaite, Coniston, Torver, Silecroft, Ravenglass, the Duddon, Ennerdale and Eskdale.

The northern area fits into Allerdale and Eden, and both areas fall neatly within the Authority’s planning areas.

Although the former south west area rangers are still based at Broughton-in-Furness, the creation of a single southern area, headed by Sara Clarke, is helping rangers and field teams, formerly the estate teams, to work more closely together and share ideas during regular team meetings.

Rangers who look after areas of water are developing a common cross-lake training programme, with a view to sharing expertise and equipment. Phil Clague from Coniston has been looking at Windermere with lake ranger Steve Tatlock to compare notes on management and issues in preparation for the implem-entation of the 10mph speed limit on Windermere in 2005.

One task which currently involves the entire southern area is a survey of routes which have been suggested as potentially suitable for use by people with limited mobility. A project team led by Barney Hill, the NPA’s integrated access adviser and Sue Thompson, ranger for Kentmere and Longsleddale, is working with rangers to survey routes that have been suggested as a result of a consultation process, and identify those which can feasibly be improved. One recent example is a route to Walker Ground, Hawkshead, where the path’s surface has been improved and gates upgraded for better access.

Each ranger throughout the National Park has been responsible for checking the provisional maps relating to areas that will become open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, to ensure that the Authority’s land appears correctly mapped.

The map also identifies areas of land which are to become open access, some of which are isolated parcels of privately owned land with no means of access. These may involve the rangers negotiating with landowners to enable access, through permitted routes and provision of gates, stiles and signs.