THE MEND could be nigh for two “broken” sections of the South Downs Way between the Meon Valley and Butser.
A campaign to raise £125,000 for much-needed repairs was launched on Monday by the South Downs National Park Trust (SDNPT).
it hopes walkers, horseriders and cyclists will dig deep into their pockets with £85,000 being earmarked for the Old Winchester Hill and Hyden Lane sections of the national trail.
“We know how much people love the South Downs Way,” said trail officer Andy Gattiker. “They share glorious photos and stories with us every day – now we’re asking for their help to mend it.
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More than a dozen flu patients in Hampshire Hospitals Trust last week“Our existing funding allows us to make most repairs but there are a number of significant projects which, because they are on remote sections of the path, are too expensive to tackle using existing funds.
“Each year, as the erosion and mud gets worse, they get more damaged and become harder to fix.”
One of the most troublesome sections is the climb from Exton east to the summit of Old Winchester Hill, as it becomes a slippery kilometre of boot-churned mud every winter.
Vehicular access is not possible so the SDNPT needs £50,000 to scrape away the mud and replace the surface with stones.
The section along the northern edge of Hyden Wood, near Clanfield, also needs attention as it suffers from a lack of drainage.
“As large puddles get trapped on the track, the surface along this section breaks up and becomes muddy,” added Mr Gattiker.
“It will take £35,000 to fix 1.6km of the track, replacing the existing surface with new layers and creating a camber to help it drain.”
The remaining £40,000 will go towards scar repairs and drainage improvements on the Millpond Bottom and High Plumpton Plain sections of the trail in West and East Sussex, respectively.
Stretching close to 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne, the South Downs Way is one of the country’s most popular national trails with around 20,000 people walking, cycling or riding its length every year. For more on the Mend Our Way campaign and to make a donation visit www.southdowns.gov.uk/ mendourway