High Lot path to Ingleborough summit closed for repair work

The path known as High Lot is one of the routes used to climb Ingleborough

A public footpath to the summit of one of Yorkshire's Three Peaks has closed for up to six months for essential repairs.

The path known as High Lot is one of the routes used to climb Ingleborough, near Ingleton in North Yorkshire.

Thousands of people use it to walk from Chapel le Dale to the top of the peak.

A helicopter will be used to help lift the 160 tonnes of gritstone being used to repair the path.

Rob Ashford, a ranger in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, said: "The Yorkshire Three Peaks route taking in Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough makes these the busiest footpaths in the national park.

"It's a hefty chunk of local stone and we hope the repairs will remain for a long time.

"It's an old tradition, as stone pitching was used by the Romans in upland locations."

Stone pitching consists of medium sized rock set into mortar exposing the stone.

Ingleborough from Raven Scar creates an imposing view on the skyline

High footfall, heavy rain, poor drainage and the steep incline have all contributed to the damage to the existing path, which was first installed in the late 1980s.

Walkers on the Yorkshire Three Peaks are being asked to use an alternative route to reach the summit.

The route is set to be closed until January but the work could be completed by October, a spokesperson for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said.

The repairs are part of the authority's three-year Ingleborough project that started in 2019

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or send video here.