Annual repairs are under way to the main footpath up Southern Britian’s highest peak, Pen y Fan, in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. A helicopter has been giving Trust rangers a helping hand in airlifting 180 tonnes of stone scalpings to the high mountain path; that’s the equivalent in weight to 20 elephants.

Each square metre of footpath on the increasingly popular route costs over £300 to repair and the battle to combat erosion to the landscape is ongoing. For over 30 years National Trust staff and volunteers have used traditional techniques to fix the pitched paths, adding drainage ditches and re-vegetating areas to protect the mountain tops and combat soil loss.

Over 750,000 people use the path each year to reach the iconic peaks of Corn Du and Pen y Fan, starting out from Pont ar Daf where the conservation charity are creating a new car park. Funds made from the car parking charges directly contribute towards maintaining the 70km of paths cared for by the Trust in the Central Beacons.