Damaged Roseberry Topping path to be restored

Roseberry Topping's 10 trails are in "dire need of repair", the British Mountaineering Council said

Repairs to the path of a popular hill which has suffered a 15m-wide (49ft) scar are due to begin.

Roseberry Topping, dubbed the Yorkshire Matterhorn, has seen "significant path erosion" with its 10 trails in "dire need of repair", the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) said.

Work will first be prioritised on the main path through Newton Woods in early June.

The project, which is run by the National Trust and North York Moors National Park (NYMNP), urged visitors to keep to the marked diversion trails to allow reseeding to take place.

The width of the main path will be increased in places, while all other routes will see improved drainage to prevent further erosion, the National Trust explained.

Repairs on the first trail have been estimated to take four to six months.

The main path has a 15m-wide (49ft) scar in places due to erosion

While the National Trust owns the site, it said it makes no income from the 1,049ft (320m) beauty spot as the car park is run by the national park.

The trust said grant applications were under way to pay for the works to the other nine paths.

Current sponsors include the BMC, which has contributed about £50,000 under its Mend our Mountains scheme.

'Popularity at a cost'

"For anyone who has lived in Teesside or nearby, Roseberry Topping is a symbol of home," the National Trust's general manager Gail Buzzard said.

"It matters to me that residents and visitors can safely access and enjoy their time walking in the area."

The NYMNP described Roseberry Topping as a "place that holds personal significance to so many people".

"Unfortunately, its popularity has come at a cost over the years and its pathways are now in serious need of extensive repairs," Joel Brookfield, from the NYMNP, added.

Updates about the remaining nine paths will be issued later in the year, the National Trust said.