For many, the lockdown or being furloughed has given us space to slow down and find new ways of spending time. Learning something new is a great way of keeping the muscles of our mind flexing. So if you’ve ever wanted to delve deeper into the Lake District, here are a few ideas for online learning:

Photo above: Castlerigg rainbows by Paul Williams

William Wordsworth: Poetry, People and Place

Explore the influence of the Lake District on Wordsworth with this free online course, filmed at his home, Dove Cottage, Grasmere.

https://www.mooc-list.com/course/william-wordsworth-poetry-people-and-place-futurelearn

Come Rain or Shine: Understanding the Weather

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/come-rain-or-shine

The Lake District is, we think you would agree, renowned for its ‘weather’! (There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes). Weather affects our lives almost every day through what we wear, what we eat and what we do. But why is it rainy, windy or sometimes even sunny? Explore some of the physical processes driving UK weather systems and get hands on in the world of weather with practical activities and fieldwork.

 

Lake District National Park Learning Resources

Some great learning resources if you’re home-schooling youngsters but equally fascinating for the grown-ups who want to increase their knowledge. Includes factsheets on Geology and Habitats, Case Studies on Farming, History, Wildlife, Tourism and Heritage and links to other resources.

https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/learning/forteachers

Image credit: Terry Abraham

The Cumbrian Dialect Dictionary

https://www.cumbriandictionary.co.uk/

Lovingly compiled by a Cumbrian ex-pat who felt it was his duty to play his own part in keeping the Cumbrian language alive. Old Cumbrian is spoken by very few these days, so not wanting to see new Cumbrian go the same way (or "gan the same wah" as a Cumbrian might say), this is a chance to learn a new language. It’s both fascinating and weirdly addictive!