Crushed stone from CEMEX’s High Force Quarry in Middleton-in-Teesdale, Co. Durham, has been flown by helicopter to a remote part of the Pennine Way to resurface a worn-out section of the famous long-distance footpath.
With no access by road, some 285 tonnes of high-PSV whinstone were airlifted in 900kg bulk bags, one at a time, to the site just two miles from the quarry, in an operation which took two-and-a-half days to complete. The material was urgently needed to improve the surface and prevent hikers from trampling on areas around the path, destroying several rare forms of plant life. The 0–40mm aggregate was specially selected for its hardness, durability and ability to blend in with the existing stone along the pathway.
The work forms part of the three-year Heritage Lottery-funded Living North Pennines project, which aims to conserve and enhance the special qualities of the area.
With no access by road, some 285 tonnes of high-PSV whinstone were airlifted in 900kg bulk bags, one at a time, to the site just two miles from the quarry, in an operation which took two-and-a-half days to complete. The material was urgently needed to improve the surface and prevent hikers from trampling on areas around the path, destroying several rare forms of plant life. The 0–40mm aggregate was specially selected for its hardness, durability and ability to blend in with the existing stone along the pathway.
The work forms part of the three-year Heritage Lottery-funded Living North Pennines project, which aims to conserve and enhance the special qualities of the area.
