Foot-and-mouth facts

Total number of confirmed foot-and-mouth cases in the UK 1,710 3,230,000 animals slaughtered 42,000 animals awaiting slaughter 15,000 carcasses awaiting disposal

Walkers will be limited to 26 manned access points. The fells they will be able to climb include Scafell, Helvellyn and the Langdale Pikes.

Maps will be in place to show them the routes they are allowed to follow.

Cumbria County Council says the aim is to help local businesses while keeping the risk of infection to a minimum.

Chris Collier, chief executive of Cumbria Tourist Board, said: "It was the closure of the footpaths which caused the biggest impact on the tourism industry and we are delighted to see so many of the fells open again."

The Lake District National Park officer, Paul Tiplady, said: "Walkers and visitors must be clear that access is still limited, the published guidelines must be followed and that the situation can change.

"With the public's continued support and co-operation we all hope that foot-and-mouth will be completely eradicated and all the fells be re-opened sooner rather than later."

Uninterrupted journey

Much of the land involved is owned by the National Trust, which has been keen to protect its tenant farmers' flocks from foot-and-mouth.

Spokeswoman Shona Owen said: "It is recognised that although foot-and-mouth is still present to some degree, the number of incidents is beginning to reduce now.

"It was felt by the Foot-and-Mouth Task Force there was potential for opening up the high fells."

Three new cases of the disease were confirmed on Thursday, including one in North Yorkshire's so-called "Settle Rectangle".

'Here to stay'

The latest case is the 62nd to be confirmed in the area and Maff officials fear that numbers will rise over coming weeks.

"We have just had two days without any new cases in North Yorkshire so we start to build up hopes and then another one comes along," said a Maff official.

"It's all a bit unpredictable and I think it will continue to carry on like this for a little while."

However, foot-and-mouth restrictions have been lifted on almost 650 farms in Devon.

Climbers will have to stay on special routes

The move means 648 farmers in the Crediton area can send animals to any slaughterhouse willing to accept them, as long as it can be reached in an uninterrupted journey of less than four-and-a-half hours.

Farmers only able to move animals within the infected area can also now apply for licences to move livestock elsewhere.

The lobby group Farmers for Action (FFA) is estimating that at least 250 members lit beacons on the eve of the general election in protest at the handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

FFA said bonfires were lit in England, Scotland and Wales.

They were intended to be symbolic of the burning of carcasses of slaughtered animals.

David Handley, of FFA, told BBC News Online: "Out of the ashes came the phoenix and out of these ashes comes the British farmer.

"They might have killed our animals, but we are here to stay."