| Footpath Condition | Recreational Use | Visitor Attitude Survey |

Footpath Condition - back to top

An objective system of moorland footpath monitoring is used to detect location and changes in the condition of all way-lines over the moorland areas. This information is used to advise on the best forms of management to protect these areas into the future. There are two main parts to this work:

1) Establishing where paths exist in Peak District moorlands

Moors for the Future has created a GIS inventory of Moorland Footpaths in the Peak District National Park using information from aerial photography.

The extent of Public Rights of Way on moorland is circa 730km. In addition to this, it is estimated from map measurements that there is 3 to 4 times that length of non-PROWs.

A mapping and digitising exercise from maps and aerial photographs (1999 A.P’s from ‘Get Mapping’ & 2002-2003 A.P’s from UK Perspectives), has been carried out and supported by some ground truth field walking of anomalous areas.

This survey recorded and digitised the distribution of all way-lines that appear across the Moorland areas of the Peak District National Park, derived from footpaths (PROW and non-PROW), vehicles, tracks and stock. The survey areas copvered the complete Moorland region, approximately 550 km² surface area.

2) Footpath condition survey

Sections of paths identified in section 1are surveyed using a specialised methodology created for moorland footpath monitoring. The survey establishes the physical condition of all footpaths across the Moors within the Peak District National Park. It identifies sections of moorland paths in need of maintenance/ repair etc. The survey for 2006 has been completed. Contact us for more information.

Recreational Use - back to top

A new computer model for predicting relative recreational pressures (based on a distance decay model) has been piloted by the Countryside Agency, in connection with the Copuntryside Rights of Way (CROW) Act. Data from Moors for the Future and other visitor exit surveys, together with information on visitor ‘pull’ factors will be used predict the distribution of visitors over moorland areas. Model runs will be used to predict changes in visitor use post CROW Act commencement. The report from this sruvey is due early 2007.

This information, together with visitor attitude and footpath condition surveys will aid management decisions to protect moorland areas used for recreation into the future.

The CROW Act information can be found at:
http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/

Visitor Attitude Survey - back to top

This survey was undertaken at 14 key access points to the moorlands shown below. It included both on-the-spot and postal questionnaires, looking into who was coming to the area, why and when they came and how satisfied they were. Repeating this survey in the future will track any changes over time in visitors satisfaction and attitudes to the moors and their management.

Please contact us if you would like a copy of the report.

• A recent visitor survey carried out by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) is available at www.peakdistrict.gov.uk under Publications (Peak District Visitor Survey 2005), or contact Customer Services on 01629 816200. A summary leaflet of the report is availble from Visitor Centres within the National Park.

Note : Large Map is 880kb

Moors for the Future have installed 8 pedestrian counters at unrepresented access points across the moorland areas. This data together with the PDNPA's people counter information allows us to assess use of moorland areas, to aid management decisions.