The Scarth Gap route has been damaged in the floods

Walkers in the Lake District are being urged to check on the state of footpaths as Cumbria recovers from the devastating floods that left £1.6m of damage and left many bridges and rights of way either destroyed or damaged.

Some of the district’s most popular routes were damaged and the national park authority has set up an online map to show which paths have had to be closed due to flood damage. The authority is asking walkers to use commonsense where footpaths have suffered damage.

The maps showing where closures are in place can be found on the authority’s website.

Routes that have been hard hit are the Walna Scar Road between Coniston and Seathwaite in Dunnerdale; the Garburn Pass above Kentmere; Scarth Gap, which passes between Haystacks and High Crag; and the west shore of Lake Windermere.

Repairs are planned to 194 bridges, 57 gates or stiles and a further 68 paths that need work to reinstate them. The Lake District National Park Authority is seeking Government funding for the work, following the heaviest rainfall since records began, and which led to the death of PC Bill Barker as a bridge collapsed in Workington.

Head of countryside services, Mark Eccles, said maps showing closures were available online and suggested walkers and cyclists checked the website when planning routes.

He said: “Over the busy Christmas and New Year holidays, many people will want to enjoy the spectacular scenery. It’s business as usual across much of the area, we’re just asking for a bit of commonsense where there are closures and repairs.

“Thankfully, most paths have fared relatively well. However, some very popular rights of way have been badly damaged, including Walna Scar, Garburn Pass, the west shore of Windermere and Scarth Gap, Buttermere.”

Riverside routes bore the brunt of the flood damage, but the authority is keen to point out that the majority of the Lake District’s rights of way remain open and usable, with care.

Mr Eccles added: “There are a huge number of routes open and the countryside can still be enjoyed. 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.”

• Ice axes and crampons are essential for walkers heading for the felltops, along with the ability to use them, according to the authority’s Weatherline.

Today’s report from the felltop assessor said snow was falling at all levels, accumulating on old snow and ice. Drifts up to 1m deep are being formed on parts of the fells, with 20cm of snow cover common on the district’s mountains. Wind-chill on Helvellyn’s summit today was almost -14C. Tuesday and Wednesday look like being mainly dry and bright, but further snow showers are likely and there may be freezing fog in the valleys, so there should be plenty of opportunities for those rare photographs of a Lakeland temperature inversion.