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?

Well said @nachthexe. Your daughter sounds amazing.

Generally yes @HardofCleaning it is a certain breed of lower class, groups of children and 'experience days' that are most likely to leave a fucking mess behind and abuse the facilities. I've worked in customer service, the outdoors and hospitality industries for years. For every middle class dickhead who causes a mess or a scene there are two or three scummy families who do the same. The former with the attitude of 'I've paid for it, so I'll abuse it' and the latter with the attitude of 'they're paid to do it, so they can tidy it up, idgaf about nature anyway'.

I am not implying anything about disabled people.

I live here. I'd rather we didn't do anything to attract more visitors. There's too many as it is. The places I used to escape to ten years ago when trying to avoid bank holiday crowds are now filled with people.

I would like to see improved public transport, but not for the visitors. All the focus is on tourist bus routes but try getting to my nearest town from my village by bus at a time that would suit an office worker and it's impossible. The tourists get enough. Money would be better spent on improving facilities for the people who actually live here.

make it very hard for people to get around so it remains a place of silence, peace and isolation

Start by banning cars?

Xenia, if one of the twins couldn’t walk, how would you get them to the beautiful deserted places you love, so they could experience that glory and peace too?

The phrase 'you can bring a horse to water' comes to mind.

You know what pisses me off as a disabled person? Non disabled people arguing whether or not we need a certain facility.

Unless you are, or are closely related to, a disabled person, then shut the fuck up about "political correctness gone mad box ticking exercises".

Public transport is crap there. I have no idea what disabled parking is like. I have no idea about the accessible pathways.

We are exactly the sort of family who would go to the Lakes but don't due to access reasons. If a marketing campaign had highlighted the above, we may well have gone. My DD would love it, but I just haven't felt able to take her so far.

Generally yes @HardofCleaning it is a certain breed of lower class, groups of children and 'experience days' that are most likely to leave a fucking mess behind and abuse the facilities. I've worked in customer service, the outdoors and hospitality industries for years. For every middle class dickhead who causes a mess or a scene there are two or three scummy families who do the same.

Eeeeeeeeek!

Sorry, my quotes went wrong there!

The phrase 'you can bring a horse to water' comes to mind.

Well you can't bring a horse to water because there's no public transport and disabled people can't leap over styles can they?

I see absolutely no evidence that working class people leave a huge mess everywhere. Groups of children are generally supervised and much better behaved than big middle class families who expect to be weighted on.

If it's an area of natural beauty why is funding required? If that funding is making the area accessible for people to enjoy it should be accessible to everyone.

Why do we need it to be diversified? Surely the people who want to visit these areas do! Can’t see any move to try and make sparkhill in Birmingham more diversified.

I hate this push towards diversification when really all it represents is putting people in boxes - usually because of their outward characteristics and making sure you pick a few people out of each box and there you go diversity in action!

Why do we need it to be diversified? Surely the people who want to visit these areas do!

Bit tricky for some of us to get there or stay there, as has been explained repeatedly in the thread already.

How about we start by banning cars (especially large 4 by 4s) except for those who live there for those so interested in peace and tranquility? The roads are absolutely awful during Tourist season. Introduce a decent transport system instead?

As others have said Changing places toilets are severely lacking in the Lake District. The standard accessible toilets are also often disgusting partly because they are misused by those without a disability.

Absolutely make it more accessible for the disabled. That should be a given.

But I'm unsure about the rest of it is about. If it is "too white" that's because the indigenous population is white . Is that a problem, and if so, why?

Has anybody thought to ask 'ethnic' minorities, why they don't go to the lakes? No, because nobody would be that interested in their responses.

Or is it assumed that we don't go because we are 'poor' and 'deprived'? Give me strength. I went abroad. I'm not sure what that says about me, culturally .

It's this kind of bullsh*t that I'm fed up with. I mean, really fed up with.

And I'm unsure what the motive is for making such a non-issue an issue. But it only seems to be an issue for the pen pusher who wrote it (who you can guarantee is not from the desired demographic that they are 'reaching' out to). It's perculiar.

What are they meant to do, put on hourly busses from Leeds, Bradford and Manchester

I don't think you can get a bus from Leeds to Windermere directly.

It's about 65 miles. Takes 5 1/4 hrs as it goes via Manchester.

Maybe some more buses would be a good idea?

In the case of the Lake district...
Walking/ hiking is a sport. Just like cycling, kayaking or running. It's one that can be enjoyed by many people with different abilities. But as with all sports, some people do while others don't do them.

I don't see the point of destroying a natural landscape to make it more accessible.

But i agree with others, improve public transport, take all school kids out for hiking and let them decide for themselves.

Surely there can't be much wrong in using some of the millions the NPs get every year to encourage a more diverse group of people to visit them?

What stops groups of people of any diversity from visiting the Lakes? There isn't a turnstile or passport control.
Is he going to force non-white groups to go?
What are the 'miilions' that the NPs get?

@WhenYouCantRunYouCrawl I found this from 2014, It's pretty grim reading, but I guess it's accepted?.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/09/lake-district-homeowners-local-residents

I walked on Christmas day up on the hills in the LD , and feel privileged to live here. Yes I am white, but I'm certainly not middle class.
When we were out I saw many people out enjoying the area , several cultures. Some were not planning to walk the high fells, but were enjoying taking family photos near a lake.
Others were out walking.
All places out in the countryside are there for all people to enjoy.
I dislike a busy crowded shopping centre, so mainly choose not to go there. It's a shame when any place is decreed not to be available for any type of person, disability or age group.
We should be open for all , be it town or country.

@Ylvamoon

Your post is completely divorced from reality. I literally have no idea what you mean. Can you explain or did you not read up before typing? How is making an existing footpath accessible "destroying the landscape". How is changing a style for an automatically closing gate destroying anything? How does making a toilet accessible destroy the landscape? How does improving transport links (which would hopefully stop so many people driving and clogging up the roads) disadvantaging the peace and tranquility?

there are some bits I can’t see either!

U less you have a physical disability which is stopping you, it isn’t the same. Not even close. Unless you have to spend your time wondering how on earth to get in to buildings, if it is eating, sleeping or showering which is more important to you for a week. Unless you have to spend a week researching everything to ensure you get the same access as pretty much anyone else, you haven’t a clue.

@nachthexe Hits the nail on the head. And yes, places like Calvert trust exist, and that great. But you need to be really flexible, take time out of school to go there and you usually have to want to be part of a big group to take part. Last I looked, going on a family basis was pricey.

Generally yes @HardofCleaning* it is a certain breed of lower class, groups of children and 'experience days' that are most likely to leave a fucking mess behind and abuse the facilities. I've worked in customer service, the outdoors and hospitality industries for years. For every middle class dickhead who causes a mess or a scene there are two or three scummy families who do the same. The former with the attitude of 'I've paid for it, so I'll abuse it' and the latter with the attitude of 'they're paid to do it, so they can tidy it up, idgaf about nature anyway'.

I am not implying anything about disabled people.*

Well. There's quite a lot to unpick there, isn't there?

I'm really astounded at some of the comments, book marking as I have a response...

Oops. Seems I can't quote either.