The view up Hardknott from Hows Wood platform. A lovely landscape.

News & Stories

Discover latest updates, stories and statements

From campaign updates and project news to longer reads from the people and places that make Cumbria special.

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Abandoned tent from fly camp in woods, east shore of Windermere.

Friends of the Lake District welcomes decision to introduce a tourist tax

We welcome the news that Mayors in England will be empowered to introduce a tax on overnight stays...

Abandoned tent from fly camp in woods, east shore of Windermere.

Still treating the Lake District with contempt: litter survey reveals depth of anger

Our survey of litter, fly-camping and anti-social behaviour across the Lake District highlights a catalogue of damage to...

People exploring Dam Mire

Community invited to discover Dam Mire Wood

Come along to our Community Day at Dam Mire Wood in Threlkeld on Friday 18 September 2026, from...

People repairing a path on the side of a mountain

25 years of Fix the Fells

Fix the Fells is marking 25 years of work to protect the Lake District’s spectacular mountain paths and...

A lake that has dried up

Drought in Cumbria

Policy Officer Amanda McCleery looks at what should be done to mitigate the risk of drought in Cumbria.

A red tent left on a hillside

Last call for our litter and fly-camping survey

As stories about illegal fly-camping, litter and wildfires continue to appear in the press and on social media,...

Some people peer up behind a dry stone wall

Scotmid Co-op volunteers lend a hand at new site

The Scotmid Co-op team helped rebuild boundary wall on new Friends of the Lake District land

close up of tree branch in Rusland woods

Nature Recovery Fund helps restore Lake District rainforest

Friends of the Lake District has been awarded £14,900 from Westmorland and Furness Council’s Nature Recovery Fund to...

Sheep in front of tents at campsite in Lake District

Pop-up campsites

Planning officer, Leanne Parr, looks at the benefits and impacts of temporary campsites, and what can be done...

Kendal IT company announces Friends of the Lake District as Charity of the Year

A panoramic view of hills, sky and landscape with hedges

Project seeks locations for new hedgeplanting and restoration

We are looking for sites in Cumbria to plant new hedges, and lay or restore existing hedges in...

Haystacks, Buttermere

2026 Photographer Competition Winners

We are delighted to announce the winners of our 2026 photography competition. These images will make up our...