Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership

The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme aims to unlock and reveal the hidden heritage of the Westmorland Dales, enabling more people to connect with, enjoy and benefit from this inspirational landscape. Thanks to National Lottery players it has been supported by a grant from the Heritage Fund.

Sign Up to our mailing list to receive our latest news, events and volunteering opportunities.

Dark Skies Winter Celebration

The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme, funded by Heritage Lottery, invited schools in the Westmorland region of Cumbria to join its ‘Dark Skies Winter Celebration’.

This project coincides with the Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival and provided an opportunity for children to visit a planetarium. Children from Orton, Tebay, Crosby Ravensworth, Great Asby, Shap, Kirkby Stephen Primary, Brough and Kirkby Stephen Grammar School got the opportunity to learn about the night sky with the aid of specialised visual and audio equipment designed to provide an immersive 360-degree experience.

The schools also took part in a follow up art project with local artists Rob and Harriet Fraser. You can see the results of the art project in these short videos from the schools that took part; creating their own works of art telling the story of the unique landscapes of the Westmorland Dales.

We've embedded the videos on this page but if you have trouble viewing them we've also provided the link to our Vimeo video channel where the videos are hosted.

Tebay Primary School

Follow this link to view on our Vimeo video channel (external website)
https://vimeo.com/268776659

Orton C of E Primary School - Year 5 and 6 children

Follow this link to view on our Vimeo video channel (external website)
https://vimeo.com/268772472

Orton C of E Primary School - Year 3 and 4 children

Follow this link to view on our Vimeo video channel (external website)
https://vimeo.com/268768200

Crosby Ravensworth CE School and Asby Endowed School

Follow this link to view on our Vimeo video channel (external website)
https://vimeo.com/268762411

Latest

Aglionby Village - Habitat Restoration Project

Headed up by Wetheral Parish Council, village residents in Aglionby created a working group to improve a small area of the village. The initial hope was to include village residents young and old in transforming a small village pond and the surrounding area of land.
Glover Landscape Review

We welcome the Government’s independent review of England’s National Parks and AONBs launched in October. Julian Glover who leads the review has published a letter (July 2019) which details the review panel’s interim findings.
Mother of the Lakes

I came across Friends of the Lake District while researching local information for a weeks holiday in November 2021. We were very lucky with the weather and had such a wonderful time I was inspired to write this poem. - Andrew Moss.
Dark skies Whinlatter forest walk 25 Feb

Join us as part of Cumbria's Dark Skies festival. Enjoy a walk through the forest as night draws in. We will hopefully see some stars, look for well known constellations and other features of the night sky. We will also experience the very different sounds and sights of the forest after dark.

Westmorland Dales Scheme - Winter Newsletter

News and events from the brilliant Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership team. The latest project updates, new apprentices, events, webinars, grants and geo-trails
Apprentice Training in the Rusland Valley

Friends of the Lake District was proud to host a training visit from the Westmorland Dales apprentice team and their Lake District counterparts in our beautiful Resp Haw and Bull Coppice woods in the Rusland Valley.
'Our Common Heritage' Project Update

The ‘Our Common Heritage’ project aims to record farming and commoning stories, collate and digitise old oral history recordings, interesting documents and memorabilia.
14 Peaks for 14 Arches

Eden Viaducts still need to raise over £100,000 for the first phase of the repairs and are looking for people to help its fundraising efforts by accepting the #14Peaksfor14Arches challenge, covering 90 miles (for 90 feet) whilst doing so.
Village Stories

Browse the following online notice boards about our Westmorland Dales villages. You can view suggested themes and stories, add your own ideas, comment and show your preferences by ‘liking’. Your ideas and comments will help inform the development of new display boards or other media for our Westmorland Dales village communities and visitors.
Archaeological Dig Uncovers a Thousand New Features

The Westmorland Dales Scheme team is helping to interpret the Westmorland Dales rich archaeological heritage and reveal much of which has remained undiscovered, unrecorded and under threat.
The Archaeology of the Westmorland Dales

The Westmorland Dales Scheme team is helping to interpret the Westmorland Dales rich archaeological heritage and reveal much of which has remained undiscovered, unrecorded and under threat.
Get Outside in the Westmorland Dales

Presenter Debbie North promotes outdoor adventures for all in a new film Get Outside in the Westmorland Dales.
Farming and Commons Heritage of the Westmorland Dales

We're inviting farming families and workers who have lived in and around the Westmorland Dales; Tebay, Crosby Ravensworth, Ravenstonedale and other areas to drop in, tell your stories and share your family histories at our two day event in Orton - Friday 15th and Saturday 16th October.
Our Farming and Commons Heritage Event

15th & 16th October 2021. Calling all farming families and workers who have lived in and around The Westmorland Dales; Tebay, Crosby Ravensworth, Ravenstonedale and other areas. We would love to hear your stories!