SCATTERING the ashes of loved ones in favourite beauty spots is a long-standing tradition and most people will carry out this moving act in a respectful manner.

However, a small minority of mourners have caused upset in the Lake District by leaving the cardboard boxes that contained ashes to litter one of its most scenic locations.

Walkers Steve and Beth Curl raised the issue after coming across five discarded boxes while walking in the Langdale Pikes.

Their concerns have now led, quite rightly, to calls from organisations like the Ramblers’ Association and the National Trust for mourners to be more tidy and discreet.

It is particularly poignant that the Wainwright Society has also joined the chorus of disapproval.

After his death in 1991, legendary fellwalker and artist Alfred Wainwright’s own ashes were scattered, in line with his wishes, on Haystacks.

He would have had sympathy with anyone who loved the Lake District so much that they would want its beautiful fells to be the final resting place for their ashes.

However, it is easy to imagine the bluff comments AW would have made knowing his beloved fells were being contaminated by the boxes that carried the remains.

But what can be done about it? It is not easy to stop people from littering our accessible streets, so formally policing the remote fells is out of the question.

Fellwalkers can, of course, point out to any transgressing mourners they encounter that littering the fells is both illegal and disrespectful.

But how do you confront such a group of people when they have just carried out the profoundly emotional act of scattering a loved one’s ashes?

There are, of course, other ways of remembering someone who has died.

One of the best is to do something positive for society in their memory.

In this regard, the annual mountain bike challenge in memory of the late 22-year-old Staveley cyclist Sam Houghton, which was held last weekend, performs this function wonderfully - while also raising a much-needed cash for Cancer Research.

All those who took part deserve a massive ‘thank you’!