oppurtunities

Types of opportunities

People volunteer for us in many different roles. These include:

Practical Work Parties

A work party is a small group of volunteers undertaking practical conservation work. Each work party may involve a different manual task such as dry stone walling, footpath repairs and tree planting. They take place on a weekday or weekend.

Patrols

A patrol along a set route is more than just a walk. You may be asked to give help and advice to visitors, pick up litter, check the condition of the Right of Way and footpath furniture, carry out minor tasks such as clearing debris from culverts or cutting back seasonal growth. Whilst on a patrol Volunteers are our eyes and ears in the National Park, they are also our ambassadors.

Rights of Way Surveys

The Lake District National Park Authority is responsible for maintaining the Rights of Way network, looking after public footpaths, bridleways and byways. Each footpath needs to be surveyed on a rota basis as part of the legal duty of care. This is one of the Rangers' responsibilities and Volunteers assist by regularly carrying out surveys. As part of the survey, Volunteers look at the signs, furniture such as stiles and gates and whether the path needs any maintenance.

Guided Walks and Events

Volunteer-led guided walks for the general public are part of the Lake District National Park Authority Events programme. The guided walks open up many areas of the National Park to those who may not have the opportunity or skills to discover it for themselves. Guided walks take place all over the National Park. Guided walk leaders need to have a good understanding of the area, excellent communication skills and be prepared to complete appropriate training.

Leading Public Navigation Courses

These are led volunteers for the general public to give people the skills to use a map and compass to navigate. The courses combine instruction with outdoor practice and help give participants more confidence to enjoy the outdoors safely. Volunteers who lead public navigation courses must be experienced in map reading and have a good knowledge of the area.

Training courses

We support volunteers with appropriate training and mentoring for relevant tasks we ask people to do. We run courses such as:

• Access, Recreation and Rights of Way
• Working with the Public
• Getting to know the National Park
• Navigation Training and Assessment
• Appointed Person First Aid