Interest in the outdoors is growing in Britain, and while that should be celebrated, it isn’t without concern. Marking its 25th anniversary, the British Mountaineering Council Access and Conservation Trust is issuing a warning about Britain’s mountaintops.
The trust warns that Investment in Britain’s mountaintops needs to keep in line with the public interest. If investment falls, these landscapes could soon become inaccessible to the public.
Visits to England’s wild places have risen from roughly 2.9 billion in 2009/10 to four billion in 2025/26, with almost seven in ten adults now spending time in green spaces at least once a week.
“As participation increases, our collective sense of custodianship and funding for these stunning landscapes needs to grow with it. Twenty-five years ago, the BMC Access and Conservation Trust was established to protect the wild places we love to explore,” said Dr Cath Flitcroft, BMC’s Head of Access and Environment.
“As we observe this milestone, it’s worth asking what our mountains will look like in another 25 years if we don’t look after them. We need more funding if we are to do the same for the next 25 years.”
As part of this marked anniversary, BMC shared images of routes that BMC has worked on to make them more accessible. In some areas, the teams have maintained these paths and routes, but this is becoming more challenging with time.
Around 500,000 people climb Scafell Pike and Helvellyn in the Lake District each year, and Snowdown in North Wales attracts over 600,000 people a year.
Heavy footfall in these areas can accelerate erosion, and is made worse during seasons of bad weather. When certain routes see serious wear and tear, walkers go off path, damaging the local environment.
Since 2001, The BMC has worked on repairing and maintaining these routes, training volunteers to keep paths, cliff faces and climbs maintained and safe.
“Twenty-five years from now, we’d like to be celebrating another generation discovering Britain’s mountains, hills and crags,” said Chris Coleman, chair of the BMC Access and Conservation Trust.
“The solution is a long-term commitment to investment in the awe-inspiring landscapes that people depend upon for their physical and mental health, bringing together government, businesses, the outdoor industry and the public.”
Interest in the outdoors is growing in Britain, and while that should be celebrated, it isn’t without concern. Marking its 25th anniversary, the British Mountaineering Council Access and Conservation Trust is issuing a warning about Britain’s mountaintops.
The BMC has ran the Mend Our Mountains campaign since 2016, raising more than £1 million for conservation in that time. This has included maintenance of some of Britain’s most loved walks.
