Restoration materials airlifted to beauty spot

A helicopter dropping off materials to the summit of Mam Tor

The next phase of restoration work at a Bronze Age hill fort in Derbyshire is under way.

A helicopter airlifted materials to the summit of Mam Tor in the Peak District on Monday.

The work by the National Trust is to repair erosion at the site - which has scheduled monument protected status - while preventing damage to its archaeological features so "future generations can enjoy it".

The trust said the restorations on the ancient earthwork banks, known as ramparts, would happen in stages, taking several years to complete.

The National Trust said about 700,000 people had walked to the top of Mam Tor this year

Airlifting materials was "crucial" for the project, as materials could be delivered to areas which have no vehicle access, said the trust.

The helicopter carried materials to restore archaeological features, as well as stone for path repairs and timber for repairing and installing fencing and knee rails.

Chris Lockyer, area ranger for the National Trust in the High Peak, said: "It is exciting to see the materials being delivered to the areas we need them to allow us to continue the process of restoring the land to the state it was in before the erosion happened.

"It is vital we carry out this work to protect this scheduled monument and to ensure we can play our part in ensuring future generations can enjoy it."

Mam Tor - meaning Mother Hill - is thought to have been occupied from 1200 BC.

Repairs will also be made to footpaths to encourage visitors to walk on established routes "rather than climb the historic earthworks", such as the ramparts and burial mound.

Rangers and volunteers will rebuild and restore the profile of the affected areas with hessian and topsoil, as well as re-seed areas where bare soil has been exposed.

The trust also said improvements were being made to Mam Tor car park and the wider area.