Popular rambling routes could soon be tied into corporate sponsorship deals under proposals to maintain the country’s network of walking paths amid funding cuts. The path along Hadrian’s Wall, the Cotswold Way and the Thames Path are among the many routes “prime for sponsorship”, according to the advisory group Natural England. It said that funding from central government had been cut by 30 per cent since 2012 and was not enough to cover maintenance costs for the 13 natural trails in England. The House of Lords select committee on the natural environment supports plans to enlist corporate funds to cover maintenance costs and has called on ministers to “give due consideration to the potential for sponsorship”, according to The Daily Telegraph. If the proposals go…

Source: The Times March 22, 2018 00:56 UTC