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.

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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

Sound Mosaic

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.
Friday 1st July: Can we Achieve a Win-Win?

There are some really hard decisions to be made by all of us. Can we help nature and yet also retain the traditional characteristics of common land?
Westmorland Dales Summer Newsletter 2022

Welcome to the summer newsletter of the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme, in what promises to be a defining year for us. Despite some ongoing challenges with Covid and the weather, there really is an enormous amount happening at the moment as we catch up on things that have been delayed.
'A Way Through' Exhibition

A small exhibition highlighting our 'A Way Through' project will be on display at the Old Courthouse, Shap from 3rd Sept – 2nd October. It is free to attend and will give you a taste of the project and its progress.

Sound Mosaic

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.
Westmorland Dales Summer Newsletter 2022

Welcome to the summer newsletter of the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme, in what promises to be a defining year for us. Despite some ongoing challenges with Covid and the weather, there really is an enormous amount happening at the moment as we catch up on things that have been delayed.
Westmorland Dales School of Rock

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!
What did Farming ever do for us?

A project led by Lois Mansfield of the University of Cumbria which is documenting the farming cultural heritage of the Lake District, funded by the National Park’s Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.
Westmorland Dales Landscape Forum

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.
Wild Play Day in Tebay - It all went on!

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.
Protecting Cumbria’s dark skies: new Dark Skies and wildlife friendly street lighting

We are working with the County Council and Thorn Lighting to install new Dark Skies and wildlife friendly road lighting across Cumbria. A short film featuring some of the work so far.
Shepherding in the Howgills

Mark Curr, a third generation farmer at Bowderdale Head, explains how and why sheep are 'gathered' from the fell, and brought down to the farm.
By Packhorse Through Lakeland, Bob Orrell

A fantastic trip through the lakes, Bob Orrell takes us on a packhorse journey through the Lake District from Ravenglass to Shap, back in 1977.
Westmorland Dales Scheme - Spring 2022 Newsletter

News and events from the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership team. Landscape Forum 2022, Planetariums, Twigwams, Chainsaws, Webinars, Wild Play Days, Volunteering, Hedge Laying and lots more as 2022 gets off to a flying start.