The road's foundations have collapsed. Photo: Cumbria County Council

One of the main roads used by walkers and mountaineers heading for the Lake District’s central fells will be closed for six weeks for emergency repairs.

The B5289, which heads south into Borrowdale from Keswick, will be open only to walkers, horse riders and cyclists, who will have to dismount.

No motor traffic will be able to pass the point alongside Derwent Water near the junction of the road to Ashness Bridge and Watendlath after 10am on Monday.

The official diversion for traffic heading to Seathwaite, Rosthwaite and Seatoller will be via the Whinlatter Pass to Lorton, then along the road to Buttermere and over the Honister Pass.

Cumbria County Council said it also anticipates increased traffic along the back road via Portinscale and underneath Cat Bells to Grange. “There will be increased vigilance for unsuitably parked cars blocking this popular tourist road while the closure is in place,” a spokesperson said.

“A Cumbria County Council highways team had been attempting to carry out £60,000 repair work on a retaining wall at the side of the road.

“Originally, only one lane of the road was due to be closed while the work was carried out as the county council recognised the importance of retaining access and put in place traffic management measures to keep one lane open.

“However, once the team started the work to replace the retaining wall, the saturated foundations of the road began to fall away and it soon became clear that even one lane could not remain safely open while the repair work is carried out.

Engineers had hoped to keep the road open. Photo: Cumbria County Council

“The extent of the work necessary means that the road is likely to be fully closed for around six weeks. Highways teams would not have sufficient room to safely work if a lane remained open and the structural safety of the road would also be under question.”

Climbers heading for Shepherd’s Crag and walkers intending to start their journey on to fells such as Glaramara, Great Gable and Scafell Pike from Seathwaite will have to find alternative routes, as will anyone heading from Keswick to use the Fleetwith Pike via ferrata operated by Honister Slate Mine.

Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “We appreciate that this is a popular, well known road and its full closure will be inconvenient for those who traditionally rely on it as the main access route to Keswick and essential services.

“While we did all we could to do this essential work on the retaining wall and keep one lane open, we now know that this cannot be done safely.

“We will pull out all the stops to get the work done as soon as we can and keep our fingers crossed that the weather will be kind as this will help with the time it takes.”