Lake District Estates, a leading family-owned Cumbrian business specialising in tourism, property and leisure, best known for its Ravenglass to Eskdale Steam Railway and Ullswater 'Steamers' Lake Cruises has today signed up to our ‘Say NO to Pylons in the Lake District’ campaign.

We instigated the campaign in response to the routing of the North West Coast Connections Project. National Grid is proposing to run 400kV cables around the west of Cumbria from Carlisle in the north to Heysham in the south. In the worst-case scenario, this would mean 24km of pylons and overhead lines within the Lake District National Park. 

Over 500 people have utilised a facility on our campaign website to email Robert Powell, National Grid's project manager to outline their concern that the choice of the Onshore South with Tunnel route will cause immense damage to Lake District landscapes if it is not properly mitigated.

Lake District Estates have now added their voice, fearing that the enjoyment of many thousands of visitors to the world-famous Ravenglass Railway will be seriously affected by the new line of giant pylons which National Grid are proposing to string down the West Coast of Cumbria and around the pretty coastal village of Ravenglass.

In a statement David Little the Chief Executive explained:

"One of the main attractions for our visitors is the unspoilt beauty and the views that greet them as they travel along the line from the sea at Ravenglass to Boot at the foot of Scafell. This new line of pylons and associated cabling will be seriously in your face as you leave Ravenglass and head for the hills and when you approach the village on the return journey. The panoramic views at the start of the journey will be badly affected.

“We hope that National Grid will reconsider their decision to propose an on-shore, above ground route through this special landscape of the Lake District National Park.”

Kate Willshaw, our Policy Officer said,

“We welcome Lake District Estates to the campaign and thank them for raising awareness of the damage that the North West Coast Connections project will cause to tourism businesses if the lines are taken overhead as pylons.

“I would urge anybody who is concerned about the proposed route for the pylons to add your voice to our campaign by signing up at: www.saynotopylonsinthelakedistrict.org.uk