Deliver co-ordinated programmes of activity that enhance the distinctive landscape, geology and cultural heritage of the ‘Ingleborough Dales’ (by 2020) and the ‘Westmorland Dales’ (by 2023).
How the local partners are doing on this objective
Progress: In its fourth year, the Westmorland Dales Landsape Partnership programme, led by the Friends of the Lake District, spent £780,000 on projects in 2022/23 including:
- The Skills for the Future project, with four apprentices gaining their countryside worker standard and the cultural heritage trainee completing their placement;
- Further meadow restoration, woodland planting and natural flood management projects delivered by partner organisations;
- The completion of the Sustaining Farming project with a series of farmer workshops and public engagement events;
- The completion of practical elements of four cultural heritage projects including the excavations at Little Asby Common, the Digging the Past excavations at Ravenstonedale, the Dry Stone Wall survey at Asby and the Small-Scale Heritage Features survey in nine villages;
- Two major barn restorations at Raisbeck and Pendragon;
- The award of grants totalling £24,600 to nine projects including the restoration of a Medieval well, improved access at Tebay recreation ground, new leaflets and displays for Crosby Ravensworth, and improvements to Toaves Allotments near Kirkby Stephen;
- The construction of a major new footpath at the base of Tebay Fell by the rangers, apprentices and volunteers;
- Welcome to the Westmorland Dales boards installed in key locations and the completion of the A Way Through interpretation project;
- A wide range of events throughout the year from celebrating National Meadows Day in July to Legends of the Westmorland Dales in January engaging nearly 2,000 adults and over 800 children.
Rationale: The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Landscape Partnership Programme funds local partnerships that aim to conserve areas of distinctive landscape character, improve their management and help people connect with them. A Landscape Partnership scheme is made up of many small projects, often grouped under themes, within a defined landscape character area. These individual projects are brought together in a way that achieves a long-term legacy for the area.
Lead partners: Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust; Friends of the Lake District
Supporting partners: Natural England; Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust; Woodland Trust, Tarmac; Hanson; Cumbria Geoconservation; Eden Rivers Trust; Cumbria Farm Environment Partnership; the Farmer Network; Lunesdale Archaeology Society; Yorkshire Dales Landscape Research Trust and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Further information: Ingleborough Dales; Westmorland Dales
Cost over 5 years: £4,500,000
Funding shortfall: None.
Related objectives: A3; A4; A5; A6; A9; B2; B4; B7; B9; C1; C2; D1; D2; D5; E3; E7; F6
Ecosystem services: Sense of place and inspiration; Sense of history; Recreation; Biodiversity; Geodiversity
Trade-offs: Some activities could potentially conflict (e.g. woodland creation vs managing archaeological features). In practice, all programmes are carefully assessed and managed to ensure that activity does not conflict with other conservation objectives.
Baseline: March 2018: Ingleborough Dales in year 2 of 4 year programme. Westmorland Dales bid about to be submitted to Heritage Lottery Fund.