The Lake District

Glacial erosion shaped the uplands

In the last Ice Age, ice gathered in hollows on cold north east facing slopes. Plucking and abrasion deepened the hollows into corries such as the one holding Red Tarn on Helvellyn. Where two corries cut back to back, a narrow arete such as Striding Edge was left between them. Glaciers then ground down the valleys, turning them into deep U-shaped troughs.

Ribbon lakes filled glacial troughs

Valley glaciers eroded unevenly, cutting deepest where the rock was weak or the ice was thick. When the ice melted, long thin lakes flooded these overdeepened trough floors. Windermere, at 10.5 miles the longest lake in England, fills one of them. Moraine dumped across valley floors also dammed meltwater and helped hold the lakes in place.

Attractive scenery draws mass tourism

Dramatic mountain scenery, lakes for sailing and links to writers such as Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter pull in visitors from across the world. The M6 and the West Coast main line put the park within easy reach of millions of people in northern England. UNESCO World Heritage status, awarded in 2017, raised its profile further.

Farming and forestry shaped the valleys

Centuries of sheep farming keep the fells open and grassy, because grazing stops trees regrowing. Conifer plantations such as Grizedale and Whinlatter were planted for timber during the twentieth century. Reservoir schemes flooded valleys such as Thirlmere to supply water to cities, and all of these uses left their mark on how the valleys look.

Primary

• Some 18.11 million tourists visited in 2023, crowding honeypot villages such as Bowness and Keswick.
• Footpaths on popular fells are badly eroded, with wide scars on routes up Helvellyn and Catbells.
• Roads built for a small rural population jam in summer, because most visitors arrive by car.

Secondary

• Erosion scars widen as walkers step around muddy sections, killing vegetation either side of paths.
• Congestion and parking overspill push visitor traffic into quieter valleys and villages.
• Second home buying reduces the number of houses available for local families.

Social

• High house prices force young local people to move away from villages where they grew up.
• Schools and other services shrink where second homes leave villages half empty in winter.
• Many tourism jobs are seasonal and low paid compared with the local cost of living.

Economic

• Tourism brought in £2304 million in 2023 and supports a large share of local jobs.
• Farmers earn extra income from campsites, farm shops and bed and breakfast rooms.
• Repairing footpaths and managing visitor sites costs the National Park Authority millions each year.

Environmental

• Boat traffic and pollution have damaged water quality in Windermere.
• Litter and wild camping harm sensitive lakeshore and fellside habitats.
• Heavy sheep grazing keeps the fells bare, limiting wildlife and tree cover.

Immediate

• Rangers and the Fix the Fells partnership repair and resurface eroded upland footpaths.
• Park and ride buses and boat services cut car use in busy valleys such as Borrowdale.
• A speed limit and zoning on Windermere reduce conflict between boats, swimmers and wildlife.

Long term

• The National Park Authority reserves some new housing for local people through planning rules.
• UNESCO World Heritage status, gained in 2017, supports long term conservation of the farmed landscape.
• Investment in public transport, cycle routes and off season marketing spreads visitors through the year.
• Tree planting and peatland restoration on the fells aim to improve habitats and store carbon.