Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership


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.

Welcome …

… to the Westmorland Dales website.

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:

  • Reveal the area’s hidden heritage.
  • Conserve what makes the area special.
  • Engage people in enjoying and benefitting from their heritage.
  • Sustain the benefits of the scheme in the long-term.

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

The Westmorland Dales is a beautiful area of Cumbria lying  north of the Howgill Fells and 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)


Contact information

Friends of the Lake District
Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7SS
Main Telephone:  01539 720788
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Yoredale, Bainbridge, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 3EL
Main Telephone:  01969 652300

Back in 2022, the platform of Kirkby Stephen East witnessed a special event. A performance by a massed brass band conducted by Julie Hoggarth, of Drum and Brass. Some 40 players took part, aged 8 to 80, representing Kirkby Stephen Silver Band, Appleby Town Band, Burneside Band and Melody Makers from Tebay, accompanied by Bjamba Horns. 

The piece performed, - “Brass Drums Trains” - was a brand new composition by renowned composer Jilly Jarman, bringing to life the journey of a Steam Train as it travelled from Kirkby Stephen to Tebay and over Shap fell.

Commissioned by the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme, as part of it's ‘Brass, Drums and Trains’ project. the music now provides the soundtrack to a brand new film celebrating the work of the project.

Inspirational performances, poetry and activities featured in the film were organised and delivered by project partner Julie Hoggarth from ‘Brass and Drums’. 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.

Nicola Estill, Community Engagement Officer with the Westmorland Dales Scheme said:

“The project has resulted in enormous benefits for local brass groups (both young and older groups) as Jilly and Julie have helped our project to regalvanise groups and rekindle an interest in brass instruments across the Westmorland Dales area and will continue to do so.”

Watch the film and enjoy a celebration of the hard work and performances from Kirkby Stephen Brass Band, Appleby Town Band, B Jamba Horns, Melody Makers (Tebay), Kirkby Stephen Training and Adult Beginners Band and Blue Jam’s Young Composer Scheme.