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C O N T E X T 1 7 9 : M A R C H 2 0 2 4 21 HADRIAN’S WALL in new sites in the world heritage site, additional consent has to be sought fromHistoric England. As quite a bit of maintenance work requires earth to fill holes and worn away sections, the no-digging rule means that Pickles and the team work with what they have around them. While they cannot dig, moles can, and earth from mole hills can be repurposed to fill in sections of trail. This activity is all covered by the generic consent. Adding some grass seed and temporary protection by rubber matting (anything permanent would be an addition to the monument and so require permission) ensures that the soil soon beds into the site and the green sward is maintained. In other areas, more work might be needed, so additional permissions are sought. Slopes can present an issue, as people like to dig their heels in to get purchase when they go down which damages the trail surface. In many cases, soil from mole hills can again be used to repair the surface. However, rather than removing the rubber membrane used to protect the new patches of soil while the grass grows back, leav- ing it in provides a stronger surface for people to go up and down and should make the trail more sustainable as it protects the trail surface for longer. In these cases, permission is sought from Historic England for the ‘addition’ to the monument and, if given, the membrane is left in place. Once the grass has grown over the matting, there is very little visible sign of this change and the setting of the trail and the world heritage site is preserved. There are times when there is a need for a longer-term individual project which cannot be done through daily maintenance. At Cat Stairs, a steep climb near Highshield Crags, a significant problem had developed due to increased accumulated water around a kissing gate and landing, due to increased use and the current drain not being sufficient to allow water to move down the hill. The mud was on top of the aggregate which formed the original path, so Gary Pickles suggested works that would place the new surface on top of the existing structure built in a way that would naturally shed water away from the kissing gate. Once permission was given by Historic England, the works allowed for flagstones and steps to be put in on one side to complement the setting while capping off the drain. On the other, 20mm-to- dust aggregate was laid on top of the existing path to resurface it. There is a symbiotic relationship between our natural and built heritage. The more work that is done with that in mind, the more people will experience the benefits of using the national trails and interacting with the heritage they see along the way. National Trails UK hopes to champion the sustainable management of the national trails for people, nature and heritage. Polly Martin is chief executive officer at National Trails UK. Flagstones and steps help to cope with mud at Cat Stairs [before and after photos] (Photo: Hadrian’s Wall Path)