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?

To be honest @hardofcleaning I am perfectly aware of the surfaced walks, the easy access routes etc that such places already have in place. I even help maintain a couple locally.

What I was laughing at was the thought of an accessible path to the top of every hill and Dale... the possible end result of a push to increase accessibility. As I said earlier about Everest, there seems to be a concerted effort to make everything open to everyone, regardless if the long term costs to an area, the discrete habitats every area contains and the very fabric of an area.

By all means improve access where possible. But there are already beautiful and unique areas that have been terraformed into Centre Parc type ease of use blandness.

But really, must everywhere be “diversified” to the point where it’s all the bloody same?

Which places have suffered from increasing participation to a bigger range of the tax payers funding the area?

I have yet to see a sign saying "only white middle class are allowed"
FFS should i demand the hills be lowered because i cant climb them due to a dodgy back ? Or the lakes drained because i am not a great swimmer ?
How bloody racist is it to assume Black and ethnic groups cant enjoy natural beauty ? The place is all about the countryside , if you dont want to go and visit it because its not your thing dont go, no matter what your DNA, if you want to go, go

There must be something going on, or the tourists there wouldn't be so overwhelmingly white.

Yes, something terribly sinister. It's called some people like to go and visit the Lakes, go walking and camping and some people don't.

They used to be called individual preferences, or hobbies, or interests. We used to all be encouraged to pursue them, at our will, and within our budget. But the prevailing sentiment used to be a recognition that we're all different, and that's just fine.

I have yet to see a sign saying "only white middle class are allowed

Invisible barriers.

So do people who are non-white want to go to the lakes?

Do they want to not camp and instead stay in a hotel/B&B?

Can they afford it?

I'd be considered very comfortable financially, don't live too far away and still bork at the cost of some hotels. It IS expensive.

Invisible barriers.

Stopping some people from going to visit the Lake District? What are these, exactly?

Improving public transport may help but then we will start talking about damage to the natural habitat and the effect of CO2 emisiones.

I guess it is more about selling the idea that there is a lot of fun to be had in long walks in fresh air (massively difficult in these days of wifi addiction)

They used to be called individual preferences, or hobbies, or interests.

Yes, it’s like when Sadiq Khan decided that cycling in London was too white and male. And therefore of course Something Must Be Done About It. And thank goodness, because that really is one of London’s most pressing problems.

So other places like Uhuru and coral reefs are protected by physically stopping people going to them. I don't get why funding is dependant on encouraging more people to visit?

Hill walking, camping etc will only appeal to certain people.

Yes, white middle class, able bodied people who can afford it.

Or are you suggesting people with disabilities would never enjoy the outdoors? That those who aren’t white, or poorer people?

The Lakes covers a large area. Different parts of it attract different types of people.

We visit Windermere, Bowness, Ambleside and Grasmere regularly over the summer to join with others in a sporting/therapeutic group. We’ve done this for 13 years now.

The nature of visitors to those areas has changed, and diversified, over those years.

Its good to see lots of different groups, ages, families taking part in what’s in offer in those places.

It would be good, in my opinion, to make some of the paths more wheelchair/pram friendly - but this can’t be done to all of them because of the nature of the terrain.

I believe the 4x4 and off road trips aren’t really conducive to the peace and quiet of the area exciting as they are to the drivers/passengers.

Better busses to other areas would help keep some cars off the roads.

Its a pity the trains stop at Windermere but it was Wordsworth and friends who opposed its extension to Ambleside and beyond.

What hasn't helped is the risk averse nature of our society. 20 years ago I took pupils on trips to N Yorkshire, introduced them to walking, staying in YHA’s etc. It gave them foundations, activities that they could continue with in adult life. New head stopped all that. Interferes with learning, too dangerous. My school wasn't unique - the pressure of league tables stopped many, non-academic, activities.

These places need a few more pubs and cafes to make them more interesting. The scenery is lovely but after a long walk I’d love to sit and have a cider and a hot dog.

Chicken and egg. Businesses can't afford to open with not enough customers, more customers won't go because they want more facilities.

Getting around without a car is difficult.

I don't know how you reduce the cost of accommodation - there is a lot of demand and only a fixed amount of hotel rooms.

The National Parks are subsidised by tax payers. About £48 million.

If you do want to visit it, it is very expensive and difficult if you are not camping and if you don't have a car.

Stopping some people from going to visit the Lake District? What are these, exactly

Cost, transport, accommodation......

@JontyB you would actually be surprised what people think.

There are loads of people who think certain activities aren't for them due to their ethnicity, sex, religion, socio-economic class, whatever. This is why having white middle class able-bodied presenters for programs showing these activities does not help.

Is it not a bit impractical to attempt to make absolutely everything available to absolutely everybody?

Cost, transport, accommodation......

They're not invisible barriers though, are they, which is the statement I was asking about.

Is it not a bit impractical to attempt to make absolutely everything available to absolutely everybody

I am sure that's what some men say about equality, isn't it?

Make it mandatory.
Don't want to go to the countryside? Tough. The White Middle class is feeling crap because they only have themselves for company, so off you jolly well go!

If it said just - there are physical accessibility issues and people have found themselves in trouble then fair enough. But it isn't saying that is it?

I've never been to Knightsbridge, I'm poor. Diversify Knightsbridge for me because I can't possibly go somewhere unless it has a poor/brown/disadvantaged people welcome campaign.

It's patronising

chomalungma
Is it not a bit impractical to attempt to make absolutely everything available to absolutely everybody
I am sure that's what some men say about equality, isn't it?

I'd like to go swimming in the Bahamas, jumping from a yacht. That looks good fun to me. I'm outraged that travel costs, yacht ownership and luxury accommodation is out of my reach. It's a barrier to my right to enjoy the Bahamas, surely, you agree? What do you think should be done to ensure the diversity of the Bahamas means people like me, who can't afford the yacht or accommodation, get to go there and go swimming off a yacht?

They're not invisible barriers though, are they, which is the statement I was asking about

Sounded like they were invisible to the person who asked said there were 'no signs saying only white middle class people allowed'

It's funny that the reaction on here is EXACTLY the same as some men have to feminism and women talking about equal rights. Or any privileged group have when asked to remove barriers.

Invisible barriers ..... Stopping some people from going to visit the Lake District? What are these, exactly?

Poor attitudes and ignorance about what is required to help people.

I am sure that's what some men say about equality, isn't it? It's precisely that attitude I mean.

Equality is about social mores. It doesn't involve destruction of natural habitats, ffs!