A damaged bridge on Squat Beck, near Whiteless Pike, Buttermere

Lake District walkers are being advised to choose their routes with care as the area recovers from the recent devastating floods.

Staff from the national park have so far assessed nearly 900 paths and more than 800 bridges on Lakeland’s rights of way, 22 of which will need to be replaced. Low-lying routes near lakes and rivers have been worst affected.

The deluge last week – the worst in memory – has played havoc with paths, bridges and some of the area’s information centres, though the Lake District National Park Authority is keen to emphasise that businesses are reopening and most of the district’s fells are accessible.

Mark Eccles, head of countryside services for the authority, said 892 paths had been assessed so far, along with 812 of the national park’s 1,319 rights of way bridges.

He said: “We are pulling out all stops to combat the worst effects of the devastating floods. A recovery group has been set up and is working hard to get services up and running again as soon as possible.

“We still haven’t got a complete picture, but our field-based teams are checking the safety of paths and putting up information notices where appropriate. Investigations show 144 bridges are damaged and at least 22 have to be replaced.

“There are also 21 paths where the surface has been washed away and we are advising walkers to choose routes carefully. We are working closely with Cumbria County Council and hope to get our countryside access information on its website later this week.

“It’s all about common sense. We are asking that walkers, horse riders and cyclists take note of cordoned off areas, along with ‘do not use’ and ‘take care’ notices. Riverside and lakeshore routes have been particularly hard hit and debris is still an issue.”

For those heading for the hills, Mr Eccles advised: “There are a huge number of routes open and the countryside can still be enjoyed. But we are saying plan ahead and take care, wear the right outdoor footwear and clothing, heed notices and where there is obvious damage, please keep clear.”

All the national park authority’s car parks are back in use, though toilets will need a thorough cleaning to bring them back up to standard. Keswick information centre is open and the Ullswater centre is running its normal winter weekend service, though Bowness Bay information centre will stay closed for some time because of substantial damage.