Broadening the appeal of the Lake District

Cloud on Snowdon? What a surprise
And it's a bit lumpy too Anniebach

Surely not Callistemon , there are still stones and rocks there ? How can people have an afternoon stroll if these are not cleared .

Slice the top 1,500 ft off, tarmac the rest , have parking spaces
for burger vans , place garden benches every 100 yards .

Sadly nothing can be done about the rain.

And give back the million pounds donated by Anthony Hopkins

As regards non-white visitors, however beautiful the countryside, IMO in some cultures walking for enjoyment in what may often be chilly, wet and windy conditions, just isn’t a Thing.
I say that having lived in countries with different cultures, where, generally speaking, walking was something you did only if you had no alternative. Going anywhere for e.g. a family picnic would tend to involve as short a walk as possible from wherever you left the car.

Heat was certainly a factor, but I dare say the not walking for fun mindset may continue in a family who moved to the U.K. even a generation or so ago.

It’s ‘horses for courses’ isn’t it? When I was a young child, living in a poor area of Sheffield, I had a view from my bedroom windows of Peak District moorland and the more I watched its changing seasons, the more desperately I wanted to go and see it for myself. My mother and father had no interest in “the country” but did relent one day under the weight of my nagging, and we caught the bus to a nearby beauty spot, where, much to my disappointment, we sat and ate sandwiches and then came home! No walking, no scrambling about on the enticing gritstone boulders; just that. They hated it; my mother, especially, found it rather menacing, and they were not alone among their peers in having no preference for it, but had it been a day trip to a garish seaside resort, it would have been me that hated it and they who relished it. I had to wait until my teens when I got out and discovered it’s joys for myself, and I have loved it ever since. It was working class men and women who gave us ‘the right to roam’ with the Kinder trespass, and we should be ever grateful to them, but you can’t force people to love the countryside, no matter their class or ethnic origin, and any amount of tinkering with the landscape isn’t going to change that.

Are ethnic monirities going to be forced to visit to achieve his quota? When we lived in the NW we knew many families from all ethnicities many of whom couldn't understand why the Lake DIstrict was so popular, it wasn't 'their thing'.
The Lake District doesn't discourage any ethnic group who want to visit, the nature of the place means it is difficult for those with restricted mobility but what do we do, chair lifts everywhere, flatten Scafell?
There has to be some middle ground which doesn't spoil the thing that's being protected.

No, ethnic minorities are not going to be forced to visit. Come on, use your common sense.

As for other cultures not seeing walking as a Thing - individuals make up cultures, so let’s not generalise. If there are things that can be done to widen the appeal then it seems like a proactive, sensible approach to take.

My goodness - so much consternation on here about extending access to people from ethnic minority groups.

There is no consternation on here from Gransnetters about how many ethnic minority groups who wish or do not wish to visit The Lake District, the subject was raised by Richard Leafe, who is the national park’s chief executive. Gransnetters are simply responding to his consternation. He feels that not enough ethnic minority people visit The Lake District, and Gransnetters are offering a variety of reasons as to why that may be the case. Perhaps SirChenjin, you could elaborate on why this may be the case, rather than making disparaging remarks about other Gransnetters. Of course no one will be forced to visit The Lake District, but why do some groups choose not to visit, and what, if anything, could be done about it. The answer may well be nothing can be done about it.
Are we worried that not enough middle class ladies, of any ethnicity, choose to not visit football matches? Or that all types of people choose to not visit Convent Garden to see the opera? Or that some people choose to holiday in Torremolinos or Ayia Napa, whilst others choose The French Alps or Florence?
The whole thing is ridiculous, that’s why people are commenting that other people cannot be forced to visit The Lake District. Nobody can be forced to visit, or to like, anything, however worthy others may think it is.

With regard to mobility issues re visiting The Lake District, there are already many groups such as Disablity Horizons and Lake District Mobility who endeavour to make The Lake District as accessible as possible for people with limited mobility. It is obvious to us all that there will always be some places in The Lake District that will remain inaccessible to all but the most fit.

Ethnic minorities have a choice , if they choose not to visit
The Lake District so be it.

Quite, Annie.

You’re really not getting it are you Maddy? Are football matches funded by the public purse? Or holidays to The French All’s? If you’re going to use analogies in an attempt to make your point, at least use relevant ones.

Leafe has not expressed consternation - he has simply pointed to the demographics and asked if there is anything more that can be done to improve inclusivity. Only on GN has there be claims that ethnic minorities will be forced to visit the Lakes, or that whole cultures don’t walk for enjoyment and that’s still the case a generation in, or that it will be covered in tarmac, or that zip wires will be everywhere, or any number of ridiculous claims. It seems Leafe has really hit a nerve amongst the white, middle aged, middle classes. Good for him!

Alps

Yes, SirChenin, I ‘get it’ exactly, it’s you who misunderstands. You appear to not understand that people make choices, others may regard those choices as good or bad, but in the end, people can choose to visit The Lake District or not, and there’s not a jot you, I, or Richard Leafe can do about it.

Incidentally, there have been NO claims that people will be forced to visit The Lakes, what Gransnetters actually said, because it’s self apparent, is that no one can be forced to visit. Slightly different than what you claimed was said!

I am white, passed middle age , working class , leave the Lake
District as it is, a place of beauty.

This reminds me of a chap interviewed on tv, angry because he was selling his holiday home in Wales because the locals
were speaking in Welsh. Even the local shop wasn’t welcoming
because they spoke Welsh.

No you don’t get it - there are things that can be done and Leafe is quite right to look at improving inclusivity. No one will be forced to go to the Lakes - what a ridiculous thing to even suggest - but reviewing the current demographic and asset to see where improvements can be made is the correct, positive and proactive approach to take.

I can’t be bothered to argue with someone who is as blinkered and argumentative as you SirChenin.
Happy New Year.

And the same to you.

middle aged

Ooh, thank you for the compliment.
I feel younger already.

Check out facilities in the Lake District for schools (not just predominantly white, middle class schools - any school), the disabled of whatever ethnicity etc and you will find it offers far more than other National Parks which seem to be lagging behind and may need more encouragement.

Is it an age thing an older demographic maybe is to be found in The Lake District.

I remember our parents taking us to The West country, Scotland and Wales as kids and waxing lyrical about the beauty, history, culture etc. all they got as a response from we, the kids in the back of the car was, "are we there yet?". Once we were old enough to go away with friends, I remember returning from Benidorm or somewhere equally dire, aged 18 or so, and my mother telling me they'd been up to the Lake District and was very beautiful, "sounds boring!" said I in my teenage ignorance. Fast forward many years and now I know how wonderful all those places are....but I had to grow up to appreciate them.

I did go camping in the Lake Disteict, age 18, and woke to find a stream running through the tent!
It rained a lot.

"It rained a lot."
That's what it was like the first time I went. With a boyfriend who wanted to try rock climbing. It rained for a full week so finally we went home.
I can't remember where we stayed, except for one night in a sheep shelter, when even the sheep came in to escape the rain.
It was a bit crowded .

I also went camping in the Lake District with school amongst other activities we climbed Helvellyn, it was May and the top was covered with cloud. Since then we have been caravanning and recently hotels. Always in September at the last minute when there is a decent weather forecast I wouldn’t bother in peak season.

Fennel did we go out with the same boy?
However, his parents came too and he slept in a different tent whilst I shared with his sister.
No 'hanky panky' in those days!

I'd better say no more in case you married him.