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 to the north of the Howgill Fells and located 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

Scything Workshop

Cumbria Wildlife Trust delivered a scything workshop at Piper Hole Farm in Ravenstonedale earlier this week. 

The workshop was held as part of a project under the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme with the aim of conserving species-rich grasslands within the Westmorland Dales scheme area and to increase peoples appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of this habitat.

Nine people attended on the day, receiving expert tuition on the practical use of the scythe as well as advice on land management. The day was led by tutor Andrew Walter, a Reserves Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust for the last 25 years, managing the Trusts eastern suite of reserves. The course covered: 

  • Exploring a range of scythes and their differences
  • Features of the Austrian scythe
  • How to set up the scythe to your size & adjust the blade
  • Sharpening the blade including peening and the use of sharpening stones
  • The correct method for cutting vegetation for the body and for the scythe
  • Care & maintenance
  • Land management advice

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