7 May 2021
Home to flourishing wildlife, thriving communities and spectacular landscapes, loved by millions and cared for by many, the Lake District was designated a National Park on 9 May 1951, 70 years ago! The Lake District National Park Authority was created to help look after this unique corner of England, encouraging people to enjoy and understand its beauty and helping those who live and work here. To mark 70 years of caring for the National Park, we have shared some of our top 10 achievements over the years.
We created and maintain 48 Miles without Stiles routes across the National Park that are suitable for people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users, families with pushchairs, and those who want a simple route to see some beautiful scenery without too much effort.
Low Carbon Lake District was launched in 2008 to reduce greenhouse gases and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Our ambition is to become net carbon zero by 2025 as an Authority and 2037 for the whole of the Lake District.
The Partnership was established in 2006 to bring together 25 organisations to collectively manage the Lake District. Many successes have been achieved and there’s lots to look forward to with our next five-year management plan going out to consultation within the next few months.
The Lake District National Park was inscribedWorld Heritage Site status for its cultural heritage and landscape in 2017. Our farming officer works closely with Lake District Farmers and land owners to look after our working landscape.
The 400 year old Coniston Coppermines was taken off the At Risk Register in 2018 after we worked with local landowners, volunteers and businesses to preserve the site and install new creative storytelling within the valley. Similarly, the Duddon Iron Furnace was recently saved from the At Risk Register due to the continued good work of our archeologists and partners.
Between 2016 and 2019 we worked with the community and partners to celebrate the heritage and restore the landscape in the Rusland valley.This major project created apprenticeships and connected people with the traditional skills that protected the wildlife and wooded landscape of the area.
Following the destruction of Storm Desmond in December 2015, we delivered Routes to Resilience, a £3 million programme to restore the Public Rights of Way network.
We have more than 400 volunteers who help look after the Park in various ways from research to maintenance work out on the fells. Our dedicated Fix the Fells volunteers help repair paths from erosion on the high fells and protect the ecology and archaeological heritage of our beautiful landscape.
Lack of affordable housing is a national issue, but the need is even more acute in the Lake District. As we are responsible for planning, we try to make sure new buildings or conversions are of a type needed by people who live and work locally. We are pleased that since April 2010, 754 new homes with a local occupancy condition have been built, of which, 337 (45 per cent) are local affordable homes.
The National Park welcomes over 19 million visitors each year. Our strategy for visitor travel aims to ensure that they move around the park as sustainably as possible. We purchased Brockhole on Windermere in 1966, opening it in 1969 as the UK's first National Park Visitor Centre. Together, with our other three Information Centres and Coniston Boating Centre, we help three million visitors make the most of their Lake District adventure every year.
We are very pleased with all the work we have done to help make the Lake District what it is today, with support from our partners and other organisations caring for the Park. Here’s to the next 70 years of making the National Park an even better place to live, work and visit! 2021 doesn't only mark 70 years of the Lake District National Park, but it also marks 70 years of the Peak District, Snowdonia, and Dartmoor National Parks. Discover more National Parks this 70th year!
Let us know what you love most about the Lake District using #LakeDistrict70 on social media, and don’t forget to tag us – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
