Following the concerns of the public and some Friends of the Lake District members about the sale of land by the Lake District National Park Authority, in particular Stickle Tarn, landscape charity Friends of the Lake District submitted an expression of interest to purchase Stickle Tarn, so that it could be owned by a responsible organisation sympathetic to National Park purposes.

Friends of the Lake District, along with others, has expressed grave concerns about the lack of transparency and conditions attached to the sales of National Park land which could put their sympathetic future management under threat.

The Lake District National Park Authority has now clarified that Friends of the Lake District is one of a number of ‘interested groups’ with whom they will be ‘exploring alternative responsible ownership for Stickle Tarn....in the coming weeks’. We welcome the prospect of discussion with the National Park Authority, the local community and other interested groups to discuss the future of this iconic tarn for future generations.

We are very pleased at the prospect of these discussions and look forward to playing a key role in ensuring that Stickle Tarn remains protected. However, being a responsible charity we will seek expert advice as to our potential liabilities before making any final commitment.