Lake District named as World Heritage Site
Honour for favourite of walkers and poets
THE LAKE District has been named as a World Heritage Site.
The region joins sites including the Taj Mahal, India, the Grand Canyon in the US and Yorkshire’s Fountains Abbey and Saltaire on the prestigious list.
Lord Clark of Windermere, who chaired the Lake District’s bid, said the Unesco decision to recognise the region’s culture, art and literature, as well as its landscape, was “momentous”.
He said: “It is this exceptional blend which makes our Lake District so spectacularly unique and we are delighted Unesco has agreed.
“A great many people have come together to make this happen and we believe the decision will have long and lasting benefits for the spectacular Lake District landscape, the 18 million visitors we welcome every year and for the people who call the National Park their home.”
A Unesco committee in Krakow, Poland, backed the bid which was among 33 nominations of sites all over the world. It was formally entered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England and was the UK’s only submission in 2016.
John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said: “The Lake District is one of the UK’s most stunning and ancient landscapes. It is a unique part of the world that combines a vibrant farming community with thousands of archaeological sites and structures.”
Local MP Tim Farron MP said: “This is fantastic news for our area, and for the local tourist economy.”
TOURISM CHIEFS in the Lake District are preparing for a business boom after the area was named as a World Heritage Site.
The region joins sites including the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and Stonehenge on the prestigious list by the Unesco World Heritage Centre.
Lord Clark of Windermere, who chaired the Lake District’s bid, said the decision to recognise the region’s culture, art and literature, as well as its landscape, was “momentous”.
He said: “It is this exceptional blend which makes our Lake District spectacularly unique and we are delighted Unesco has agreed.
“A great many people have come together to make this happen and we believe the decision will have long and lasting benefits for the spectacular Lake District landscape, the 18 million visitors we welcome every year and for the people who call the National Park their home.”
The region is known for its soaring fells as much as its expansive lakes, including England’s longest, Windermere, and deepest, Wastwater.
The Lakes also boasts sites of historical importance such as King Arthur’s Round Table, in reality a neolithic earthwork henge. English Heritage says that, according to legend, the site was the mythical monarch’s jousting arena.
And it was an inspiration for some of the country’s most beloved writers including Beatrix Potter, who owned Hill Top Farm, and poets William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge and John Ruskin.
It is this that pulls in more than 18 million visitors per year, according to the Lake District National Park’s statistics, and the latest accolade is set to add to that. Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale in south Cumbria, said: “This is fantastic news for our area, and for the local tourist economy.
“This well-deserved status is a formal recognition of the outstanding natural beauty of the Lake District, and will help to further promote our area as the UK’s leading rural tourist destination.
“However, it is vital that the Lake District remains a viable place for local people to live.
“This decision is about protecting and promoting the natural and cultural heritage of our area, and must not be used as an excuse to freeze in aspic our vibrant rural communities.
“The Lake District must be a place where local people can afford to live, raise a family and find work so that rural communities can thrive.”
The area had to put itself forward for consideration for World Heritage status and a Unesco committee in Krakow, Poland, backed the national park, which was among 33 nominations from sites from all over the world. The bid was formally entered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England and was the UK’s only submission in 2016.
John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said: “The Lake District is one of the UK’s most stunning and ancient landscapes and I am thrilled it has been granted World Heritage Site status.
“It is a unique part of the world that combines a vibrant farming community with thousands of archaeological sites and structures that give us an amazing glimpse into our past.
“This decision will undoubtedly elevate the position of the Lake District internationally, boosting tourism and benefiting local communities and businesses.”
The UK now has 31 World Heritage Sites including the city of Bath, the Tower of London, Canterbury Cathedral and the Giant’s Causeway.
Yorkshire is also represented with Fountains Abbey in Ripon, and Saltaire in Bradford. Sir Gary Verity of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “The Lake District is just playing catch-up.”
This is fantastic news for our area and tourist economy. Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale.