Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme finished in early 2024 with projects successfully delivered by a wide range of project partners, community groups and individuals. Over the coming months, we’ll be updating this site to highlight what’s been achieved, so please keep checking back. Welcome … … to the Westmorland Dales website. The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme aimed to unlock and reveal the hidden heritage of the Westmorland Dales, enabling more people to connect with, enjoy and benefit from this inspirational landscape. Specifically, its objectives were to: Reveal the area’s hidden heritage. Conserve what makes the area special. Engage people in enjoying and benefitting from their heritage. Sustain the benefits of the scheme in the long-term. This was achieved through a programme of projects developed and delivered through the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership, led by Friends of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and mainly funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It ran over a five-year period from March 2019 to February 2024. Here you can discover what makes the area so special, find out about the scheme’s projects, and view and download resources produced. The Westmorland Dales The Westmorland Dales is a beautiful area of Cumbria lying to the north of the Howgill Fells and located within the north-west corner of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It stretches from Tebay in the south-west to Kirkby Stephen in the east and to Maulds Meaburn in the north-west. At its heart are the limestone fells above Orton and Asby, rich in natural and cultural heritage, and with magnificent views to the Pennines, the Howgills and the Lakeland fells. It drains into the Lune river catchment to the south and the Eden river catchment to the north. Relatively overlooked compared with its better-known neighbours, our projects have aimed to reveal its heritage for more to enjoy without detracting from its unique qualities. (Click on map for larger image) Contact information Friends of the Lake District Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7SS Main Telephone: 01539 720788 Email: [email protected] Yorkshire Dales National Park AuthorityYoredale, Bainbridge, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 3EL Main Telephone: 01969 652300 Email: [email protected] Home About the Scheme Partners Funders The WDLPS Team Projects Connecting Heritage Cultural Heritage Natural Heritage Resources News Archive Newsletter Archive Film and Sound Archive Westmorland Dales Map Geology and Fossil Educational Resources Heritage Talks Archive Geology Resources Poetry Archive Volunteering Opportunities 1.4 Changing the Course, Slowing the Flow Eden Rivers Trust’s project focussed on the Lyvennet, Scandal Beck and their tributaries, restoring river channels, improving habitats and introducing new natural flood management features, with major projects at Crake Trees and Bowber Head. Restoration of reaches of both Scandal Beck and the River Lyvennet, for the benefit of people and wildlife. Working with and through natural processes to improve habitats and slow the flow of water in the upper catchment alleviating flood risk downstream in more populous areas. Project lead: Eden Rivers Trust The vast network of rivers that run through the Westmorland Dales are both iconic and vital to the character of the landscape. Historic land management has inhibited how these rivers function, reducing habitat quality as well as in some cases increasing downstream flood risk. Both the Scandal Beck and River Lyvennet found within the northern area of the national park are both tributaries of the River Eden which is an internationally designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a site of Special Scientific Interest SSSI for the habitats and species associated with it. A detailed survey was undertaken in 2017 to record the condition of these rivers and identify locations and options for restoring natural processes which will benefit both people and wildlife. Working with the natural river processes is a more economically sustainable option for those managing the riparian land. allowing the river to move naturally and form meanders, encouraging woodland habitat and planting trees. These actions will both Purpose To restore reaches of both Scandal Beck and the River Lyvennet, for the benefit of people and wildlife. Manage Cookie Preferences