So, how do you make the Lake District 'change and diversify' because it is too heavily weighted toward 'white middle-class able-bodied people'?

[Nanny0gg]

Richard Leafe, the Cumbria park's chief executive, said the Unesco World Heritage site must change to merit continued public funding.

I mean, it's mountains and lakes. What can you do?

And isn't that a tad patronising as well?

Crosstalk is this coming up now due to EU funding coming to an end

That's interesting about the signs. I know in France that the trails had good maps on a board at the start, with walking times, difficulty etc plus clear directions on the trails. It does make the hills more accesible - but I guess some purists would complain. Little things can make a difference to open up the hills to more people.

If you've never walked in the hills before, it can be intimidating. And potentially dangerous. Anything that can be done to encourage more people to get into the hills is a good thing.

A lot of white privilege in this thread. There are so many ways to diversify without harming the natural landscapes. Simply running heavily discounted residential trips, for year 6 inner city kids, would help so much as they'd remember and then when they have families of their own they would see it as a holiday option. And no one is expecting disabled people to be able to reach the top of a mountain, but creating fully accessible resorts on the lower grounds, would help disabled people to get at least some of the experience and have a base to enjoy if their able bodied family members wanted to go hillwalking. Don't be so selfish.

@ArialAnna

There are too many walking trails in the Lake District to put on one a3 map to hand out.

There are however, plenty of easy, well sign posted walks in the Lake District. Have a look at the National Trust website too, plenty of planned, mapped out walks that you can print off and take with you, then follow the signs. For anyone new to walking, then this is the entry level. You can do a lot of them in trainers, so you don’t even need to buy boots. Try it, if you like it then do one of the free navigation courses that the Ramblers run online and face to face and then do more complex walks. This information is all free and easily available.

For those interested in accessibility:
disabledramblers.co.uk/

www.ramblers.org.uk/advice/walking-with-a-disability-or-health-issue/people-with-limited-mobility-and-wheelchair-users.aspx

In Regards to trails, it's similar in the Alps. (Germany & Switzerland). Everything is marked out for day trips or several days...

I agree, the UK lacks a well thought out system. The trails are there, but really hard to follow.

Make sure that there is accommodation and eating options for a variety of budgets
I’m wondering how in earth this is supposed to happen when the houses prices are so high?

As for ‘improving accessibility’....
I agree with the approach @nachthexe is talking about. But this doesn’t rely on transforming the countryside to make it ‘accessible’. It relies on having the right structure to make that areas accessible. And I say that as someone who HAS a chronic illness that stops me from accessing the Lake District.... (and have two dcs and a DH who absolutely love going walking there....).

Basically what I needed isn’t an stem to stop an area to be geared towards white MC’ but a system to improve access to all areas. Whether it’s improving access for disadvantaged people, disabled etc....

And no one is expecting disabled people to be able to reach the top of a mountain, but creating fully accessible resorts on the lower grounds
Isn’t that already a legal requirement?

What are they going to do, force the ethnic minorities on to buses and make them go?

The boards signage has come up on quite a few Lake District fb groups I’m on and generally people are very against it. They think it won’t look nice or will encourage unprepared people into the mountains.....problem is unprepared people already go.

I’ve walked in the Alps quite a bit and it’s not unusual not just at the start of the path but also at any crossroads en route to have a sign. They’re small, tasteful wooden boards. Personally I don’t see the issue with having such boards in the UK. I can map read and don’t need them, but there’s a lot of people I come across who are lost and ask for help. Mountain rescue are often getting calls from people who aren’t even sure which mountain they’re on.

@Ylvamoon

I am an experienced hiker and I know the Lake District well. I disagree with you - the easier trails ARE well sign posted and you can print off / pick up maps for the easier trails (have a look at Grizedale Forrest, for example).

The hard ones aren’t, for good reason - conditions on the top of a mountain can be different from ground level and can change quickly. It’s important that you (or someone that you are with) knows what they are doing, in order to stay safe. It often suddenly gets misty, higher up in the lakes. Easy to have an accident. I’ve seen people attempt striding edge in flip flops - just stupid.

You do realise that mountain rescue is staffed by volunteers and funded by donations don’t you?

Make sure that there is accommodation and eating options for a variety of budgets
I’m wondering how in earth this is supposed to happen when the houses prices are so high?

Also, how can you enforce something like this? Hotels and restaurants are run by private citizens who are in the business of making money. Will the local authorities reimburse them if their business is making a loss due to being priced too low for market conditions?

@VivaLeBeaver

“Mountain rescue are often getting calls from people who aren’t even sure which mountain they’re on.”

Exactly this. A lot of people don’t seem to realise how dangerous a walk up Scafell can potentially be. It’s important that people are educated about the risks, if they are going to attempt walks like this.

If you are new to walking, go to Grizedale Forrest, Tarn Hows etc where you are safe. If you like it, learn how to navigate, read up on the risks and then attempt some of the harder ones.

The last thing we need is groups of city kids falling off Helvellyn in the rain and mist.

Good transport links would help. Of course as the area is popular the cost of places to stay can be prohibitive for many. Cheaper accommodation would help. Of course there s a lot of emphasis on safety when hill walking and the cost of clothing and equipment can be prihibitive. When an activity or venue becomes popular the profit motive takes over it seems. It won't change.

BettyJean - I think signposts like these...
I they would keep hikers a bit more safe or at least they know roughly wher they are should they get into trouble...
The paths are colour coded by difficulty, numbers for specific trails with place names for destinations... making it accessible!

@Ylvamoon

Have a look at Grizedale Forrest. It’s in the Lake District. It even has a Wainwright in it. Very accessible, as you will see, if you look.

Grizedale amd Whinlatter are the only places in the Lakes I’ve seen anything vaguely approaching decent signage.....maybe one for Easedale Tarn.

Didn’t think Grizedale has a Wainwright.........whinlatter does.

How much funding does the Lake District National Park receive each year? And how is this funding currently spent?

Cheaper Accommodation: Genuine question how? Subsidise the campsites & B&B's? How would you ensure that people on lower incomes were able to get the lower rates?

Better transport links: Is this as simple as subsidising more buses and putting in congestion zones for everyone (bar the residents)? (Which might work but I could also see it making the rich/poor divide even worse)

Black working class and hardly ever left my home town. Did not know places like this existed until my friend took me hiking. I was 19 and refused to wear hiking gear 🤣 ended up soaked and trainers ruined but I couldn't believe places like this existed. Fast forward to now I love the outdoors but it just wasn't accessible to me. Whereas my friend grew up with an outdoorsy family. Getting young people interested would be a good start. Had a few school trips as a child. But would not know where to begin if I was to go by myself. See the odd walking group around and it's all old white middle class people. Ultimately though I don't think ethnic minorities need a great white saviour.

It’s a bit like when they say that Radio 4 must become more accessible to a more diverse audience. It’s either your cup of tea or it isn’t.

There are alternatives to Radio 4. There aren’t alternatives to one accessible loo or no buses.

There is some disturbingly horrible snobbery going on here: sneering about Skegness and Blackpool; lower-class people making more mess...

I’m white middle class and I hate walking and camping. Can they make it more like Alton Towers then I might be tempted to go.

I do like skiing but can’t afford to go. Can we campaign to make the Alps more accessible?

Better transport links: Is this as simple as subsidising more buses and putting in congestion zones for everyone (bar the residents)? (Which might work but I could also see it making the rich/poor divide even worse)

Mini-buses more like. Lots of the roads are unsuitable for full sized buses. And, of course, to comply with disability discrimination laws, all the mini buses would need ramps/lifts and space for wheel chairs etc, so would be prohibitively expensive.

Caron Crag is an outlying fell.

@VivaLeBeaver

Outlying fells don’t count. Carron Crag isn’t on the list of 214.....thankfully, thought I’d missed one for a minute! 😁