Welcome to our latest Postcard From the Lakes, and what a week it's been...

Tuesday saw the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Cumbria, as well as in England and Wales, a heatwave across Europe - climate change is in full swing and the Government has put off making a decision about the new coal mine yet again.

You'll notice Douglas' absence, so in future editions we'll be featuring a few guest blogs from different members of the team talking about their work, starting with David Evans, Scheme Manager for our Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership.

If you're missing Douglas, you can listen to his interview and walk up Latrigg in the Countrystride podcast, see link below, in which he also talks about the history of Friends of the Lake District and how Latrigg played an important part in it and the conservation movement itself. Meanwhile our search for a new chief executive continues, and in the meantime our Head of Finance and Operations Stuart Clayton is stepping up as acting chief executive.

We're pleased that plans we challenged for a car park at Grasmere have been refused by the planning inspector this week. Our opposition to the Elterwater quarry redevelopment plans continues.

Dark Skies fans may have seen the amazing photos by the James Webb Space Telescope released by NASA last week, and thanks for all the volunteers who turned out to tackle the himalayan balsam at Rydal last weekend for the Big Balsam Bash - it was so great to see how much less balsam there was thanks to your efforts over the last three years.

With our very best wishes,

Friends of the Lake District

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Read it here: A Postcard from the Lakes - 22nd July 2022

Header image: 'Bassenthwaite' by Dominic O'Farrell

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