THE field services team of Exmoor National Park Authority has had a busy time cutting back hedges along more than 150 miles of footpaths and bridleways so far this summer.

Team members have battled extreme heat, horseflies, brambles, and wasp stings to carry out their work.

They have been using hand held hedge trimmers to only cut off annual growth, rather than going any deeper into hedges, to help them avoid flowers and birds’ nests, but still keeping the path network open.

Exmoor has a total of more than 620 miles of publicly available rights of way across the national park.

The authority has also just taken delivery of several beautiful old Exmoor footpath and bridleway signposts at its National Park Centre in Dunster.

The signposts, made by the park’s field services team from wood grown on Exmoor, will be put up for sale.

They include one for Luxborough which features the Coleridge Way quill, as does a sign for Spangate, and others directing to Culbone Hill and Pittcombe Head, and Exe Head via Limecombe.

An ENPA spokesperson said: “By purchasing one of these signposts you are buying a piece of Exmoor as well as helping to fund our ongoing conservation and access work.

“And thank you to everybody who donates to CareMoor for Exmoor, you are helping to fund public access projects to help everybody enjoy being out in nature.”

Exmoor’s walks cover everything from short strolls to all day routes to suit every taste, the details of which can be found online by searching for ‘Exmoor Walks’.

Each of the national park’s walks has a helpful video and a free digital map link to OS Maps, which also has enhanced features for subscribers.

Walkers are advised to check for up to date information because the paths network is still suffering the impact of last winter’s Storm Darragh.