Walking in the wild and beautiful parts of Britain became increasingly popular in the early decades of the Twentieth Century. After World War II the desire to keep areas of Britain special and to protect them from post-war development led to the establishment of National Parks, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONBs) and Long Distance Routes (now called National Trails in England and Wales).
Each Trail in England and Wales has a National Trail Officer who is responsible for overseeing its management and maintenance to nationally agreed standards.
Each National Trail Officer co-ordinates maintenance, improvement and promotional work on the ground. Much of the maintenance work is undertaken by the local highway authority together with landowners and also with the help of volunteers.