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.
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:
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 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)
The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme has developed a range of free resource and guides that it is now offering to local tourism businesses, residents and visitors to the Westmorland Dales. Read more
Filmmaker Jon Chappel captures the sites and sounds of an Aeolian sound installation sited atop an ancient ‘drumlin’ at Bowber Head Nature Reserve in Ravenstonedale in a short film released this week. Read more
Students from Kendal College Agriculture Course took part in drystone walling training over six days under tuition from expert wallers Josh Shields, Stephen Lord and David Law in the heart of the Westmorland Dales near Ravenstonedale. Read more
Our Little Asby through the Keyhole project drew to a close with an online event to celebrate what has been achieved. Andy Phelps from Oxford Archaeology, who have led the project on our behalf, summarised the work undertaken across two seasons of excavations and the main findings from prehistoric to post-medieval times. Read more
A wonderful social evening for Fell Pony Breeders young and old at Tebay Club with friends and all of you that are passionate about the Cumbrian Fell Pony. Read more
One of the ways we achieved this was by running a small grants scheme from 2020 - 2023 called 'Love Your Landscape'. It has enabled local communities and organisations to deliver their own projects to help us meet these aims. Read more
Enjoy a free Aeolian Sound Experience and Heritage Celebration at Bowber Head Nature Reserve in Ravenstonedale; an installation of 20 sound sculptures on top of this Glacial Hill or Drumlin Read more
We were blessed with glorious weather as we celebrated the Westmorland Dales Scheme's achievements at Shap Wells. As the scheme draws to a close it was a great opportunity to bring people together and to share the story of our changing landscape. Read more
The character and qualities of landscapes are valued for many reasons. It may be their distinctive character, nature and wildlife, recreation or a connection with the past. Complete our survey and help us to build up a picture about what you value Read more
A brand new film is celebrating the work of our ‘Brass, Drums and Trains’ project. Over one year, the project has been celebrating the age of steam, bringing musical performers and audiences together alongside real-life steam trains at Stainmore Railway. Read more
A fabulous array of woolly workshops with talented textiles experts have taken place this spring with the aim of promoting and preserving wool based heritage skills. Read more
Every child from seven primary schools across the Westmorland Dales has received a set of printed booklets featuring three local legends, delivered by staff from the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme in assemblies and classes over recent weeks Read more
From 5 June – end of July 2023 the permissive path across the top of Smardale Gill Viaduct will be closed to the public. Walks around Smardale Nature Reserve remain open and alternative routes are available around Smardale Gill Viaduct. Walkers approaching the viaduct via Newbiggin will only be able to walk as far as the lime kilns currently undergoing restoration Read more
An award of £4,712.90 from a ‘Love Your Landscape’ grant scheme has been made to Asby Parish Council in support of conservation works at a listed well house in the parish. Read more
Our celebration of the ‘Common Land’ of the Westmorland Dales has been well really received and has now moved onto a new location in Appleby-in-Westmorland. We need to say a big thank you to contributors for making this such a successful and popular exhibition Read more
Tebay Parish Council and the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership are progressing the project to celebrate Tebay’s railway heritage with a sculpture of a Bank Engine on the roundabout. Read more
Visit the 'Our Common Heritage Exhibition' to learn about the history of common land across the Westmorland Dales and listen to oral history interviews with commoners and members of the farming community. Read more
Works have started in Smardale, one of the hidden gems of the Westmorland Dales, to conserve two important structures. Read more
A free exhibition in The Old Courthouse in Shap from 27th May to 18th June 2023. Summarising research into the history of Common Land across the Westmorland Dales using oral history interviews undertaken with commoners and representatives of the farming community. Read more
Now in its last year of operation, the Westmorland Dales Scheme will be holding its final ‘Landscape Forum’ event at Maulds Meaburn Village Institute on Saturday 22nd April from 10am to 4pm. Read more
The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme draws to a close in the Autumn and we are starting to evaluate all aspects of the scheme and our delivery. We'd like to hear your thoughts on the Westmorland Dales (the landscape) and what the Scheme has been doing. Read more
Over the winter volunteers, apprentices and staff have planted 600m of new hedges at Gaythorne Hall, under the guidance of Asby Tree Group using hawthorn and blackthorn, however other species like hazel and dogwood, creating a new network of wildlife corridors Read more
A new footpath has been created in Tebay, offering a safe alternative to a busy stretch of road and providing far reaching views of the spectacular scenery surrounding the village. Read more
This winter hedges have been the focus of much of our work with regular work parties at Gaythorne Hall to plant 2.5km of hedgerows. Last week our focus turned to the ancient heritage skill of hedge laying. Read more
Short films of three local legends set in the landscape of the Westmorland Dales, retold and illustrated by local children, have just been released online. The films were premiered at a storytelling event for local families in Kirkby Stephen on Wednesday 25th January. Read more
A distinctive barn situated on the Coast to Coast (soon to be) National Trail has recently been repaired through a grant scheme being delivered by the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme. Read more
An important strand of the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme is about engaging local people and visitors in understanding and appreciating the Westmorland Dales. In the autumn of 2022, we explored the local folklore and legends associated with the area Read more
So many joyous activities have taken place over the last few months in the Westmorland Dales that it seemed a shame not to put it all together in one lovely newsletter. And rest assured, there is still plenty going on in the winter months which we've provided some information on too. Read more
No landscape feature should be examined in isolation as none exists or functions in isolation – it is important to view landscape elements in their wider context. The approach of this survey was to combine both field survey with documentary research Read more
Miscreations Theatre brought their Wilding Theatre Project of workshops, performance and an ‘Earth Giant' to Orton this September thanks to support from the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme Read more
We have recently completed the second season of excavation on Little Asby Common. Previously, surveys have been carried out across this upland landscape, along with our first season of excavation last year. Read more
Following applications to the Westmorland Dales Scheme's Farm Buildings Grant Scheme, a number of buildings were shortlisted. Two have been granted funding, with a third barn in development. Work has already been completed on a field barn at Pendragon Castle. Read more
This online recording created by Keith Cooper together with Geoff Johnson, focuses on a wide range of names of fields and landscape features in Asby Parish, drawing on historic documents, maps, local folk-memory, as well as studies of language and dialect Read more
The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme is inviting families to come along and join the fun at its free family ‘Wild Play Days’ being hosted on the recreation park in Morland and Jubilee Park in Kirkby Stephen Read more
One year in, following the excavation of 16 keyhole trenches across a wide area of the common as well as core samples taken through the sediments of Sunbiggin tarn, the work is already delivering valuable insight into how the landscape has changed over the past 9000 years Read more
Our ambition to reveal the hidden heritage of the Westmorland Dales runs deep. To discover more about the history of the area we've created a number of projects designed to help us interpret the area's rich archaeological heritage, much of which has remained undiscovered, unrecorded and under threat Read more
The results are in for the first season of excavations on Little Asby Common held in 2021, consisted of 16 keyhole trenches. These evaluation trenches enabled us to investigate the heritage of a wide area of the common and unearth a fascinating history Read more
Our cultural heritage trainee, Rebekah Booth, has been leading small-scale heritage feature surveys across several villages in the Westmorland Dales area. So far, volunteers and our apprentice team have surveyed Newbiggin-on-Lune, Ravenstonedale, Tebay, Maulds Meaburn, Crosby Ravensworth and Crosby Garrett. Read more
Over 7 days in May and June volunteers, led by Dr David Johnson, carried out a dry stone wall survey in Asby parish. In advance we held a taster and training day, to give an introduction to walls, the landscape and how to survey them. Read more
Digging the Past is a test pitting project in Ravenstonedale which is being delivered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and Eden Heritage. At the time of writing, 23 test pits have been excavated, but we expect to have completed at least 25. Read more
Sit back, close your eyes, slow down and experience a sound tour of the Westmorland Dales through a mosaic of sounds recorded at various locations by sound artist, Dan Fox. A mysterious and evocative medley of traditional music, local voices and sounds of the countryside. Read more
To celebrate Hay Meadows Day we ran an exhibition with Cumbria Wildlife Trust in Ravenstonedale. On display were historic hay time photographs, wildflower photos, films and memorabilia from the last 100 years. Guided walks, arts events and bee walks took place through the glorious hay meadows. Read more
Sit back, close your eyes, slow down and experience a sound tour of the Westmorland Dales through this mosaic of sounds recorded at various locations by sound artist, Dan Fox. A mysterious and evocative medley of traditional music, local voices and sounds of the countryside. Read more
Shap CE Primary School have been working on the rocks element of the national curriculum and how they shape the landscape of the Westmorland Dales. What an adventure it was! Read more
One of the highlights of our year has been the Westmorland Dales Landscape Forum, held at the High Chapel Community and Heritage Centre in Ravenstonedale last Saturday, April 23rd. Read more
A wonderful day was had by all who attended our Wild Play Day at Tebay recreation field during the Easter holidays. Our partners Stomping Ground provided a fantastic array of nature connected activities from den building, clay crafts, campfire cooking and natural artworks. Read more
A fantastic new charity, Access the Dales, will be launched on 2nd April 2022 at Ravenseat Farm, home of the Yorkshire Dales Farmer and TV celebrity Amanda Owen. Amanda is delighted to be the patron of the charity, especially because of her close friendship with founder of the charity, Debbie North. Read more
A BIG thank you to all the schools and people who took part in our Dark Skies Celebration with Polestar planetarium. We really had a fantastic week celebrating our dark skies! Read more
The project will involve volunteers digging up to thirty small 1mx1m test pits around the village to investigate what finds from the topsoil can tell us about the history of the village. There will be other ways to get involved if you can’t dig, such as helping with the finds washing and processing. Read more
The small-scale heritage features survey will be ongoing from March to August 2022 (inclusive). It will involve small groups of volunteers surveying small-scale heritage features in 7 settlements in the Westmorland Dales. Each settlement will take 2 or 3 days to survey. Read more