What attracts tourists to the area?
The Lake District is an upland area in Cumbria, north-west England, stretching 64km from north to south and 53km east to west. The national park attracts 15 million visitors a year for a range of reasons.
Scenery: The Lake District is located in a mountainous region of Cumbria with Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It is also home to the longest lake in England, Lake Windermere.
Activities: There are a wide range of activities in the Lake District with boat rides and sailing on the lakes. Other activities include rock climbing, walking (ramblers), pony trekking and even bird watching because of the wide range of wildlife found in the area. Walking is one of the most popular reasons why people visit the Lake District, whether for a day or longer. Routes vary from short and relatively flat to extremely long and tough (see http://www.walkingenglishman.com/lakes.htm)
Cultural Attractions: There are also many cultural sites attracting tourists including the Beatrix Potter and the Wordsworth museum. Many 19th Century writers and artists were inspired by the area, with Beatrix Potter’s family settling there at Hill Top beside Lake Windermere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NrpHM8yHUo https://wordsworth.org.uk/visit/the-wordsworth-museum.html
Scenery: The Lake District is located in a mountainous region of Cumbria with Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It is also home to the longest lake in England, Lake Windermere.
Activities: There are a wide range of activities in the Lake District with boat rides and sailing on the lakes. Other activities include rock climbing, walking (ramblers), pony trekking and even bird watching because of the wide range of wildlife found in the area. Walking is one of the most popular reasons why people visit the Lake District, whether for a day or longer. Routes vary from short and relatively flat to extremely long and tough (see http://www.walkingenglishman.com/lakes.htm)
Cultural Attractions: There are also many cultural sites attracting tourists including the Beatrix Potter and the Wordsworth museum. Many 19th Century writers and artists were inspired by the area, with Beatrix Potter’s family settling there at Hill Top beside Lake Windermere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NrpHM8yHUo https://wordsworth.org.uk/visit/the-wordsworth-museum.html
What are the Impacts?
Positive Impacts
Tourism is big business, boosting the economy leading to the multiplier effect with further positive social and environmental impacts. JOBS: Tourism creates jobs in shops, hotels and many locals run B&B’s. BETTER STANDARD OF LIVING: More jobs for local people means they have more money to spend to improve their standard of living and quality of life. LOCAL ECONOMY: More jobs and more tourists spending money boosts the local economy which can then be used to improve the local area for locals and tourists. INFRASTRUCTURE: With more money in the area other services such as hospitals and schools or transport links and leisure facilities (e.g. cinemas, shops, and restaurants) can all be improved. |
Second Homes
Some tourists enjoy visiting the Lake District so much that they purchase a holiday home. Troutbeck is a village near Windermere. It has 105 houses and around 40% of them are second homes. This has caused two main problems. Firstly, the houses have become very expensive because they are in such high demand, for example some in Troutbeck sell for around £300,000. This makes it too expensive for the local people, forcing them out of their own area. Secondly, the second homes may only be used for part of the year, mainly during the summer. This means villages like Troutbeck become ghost towns during the winter and local businesses (e.g. shops) suffer as a result. This would even lead to a lack of jobs during the winter.
Some tourists enjoy visiting the Lake District so much that they purchase a holiday home. Troutbeck is a village near Windermere. It has 105 houses and around 40% of them are second homes. This has caused two main problems. Firstly, the houses have become very expensive because they are in such high demand, for example some in Troutbeck sell for around £300,000. This makes it too expensive for the local people, forcing them out of their own area. Secondly, the second homes may only be used for part of the year, mainly during the summer. This means villages like Troutbeck become ghost towns during the winter and local businesses (e.g. shops) suffer as a result. This would even lead to a lack of jobs during the winter.
Footpath Erosion
A survey has shown that over 87% of visitors to the Lake District use the footpaths. Some footpaths have more than doubled in width becoming huge scars in the landscape. This damages the appearance of the Lake District and discourages tourists to stay on the paths making the paths wider and wider. |
Water Sports
On an average summer’s day, there may be over 800 boats on Lake Windermere. The noise that the powerboats and water-skiing makes is a major concern for those who argue that the National Park is a place for ‘quiet enjoyment’. Groups such as fishermen and sailing boat enthusiasts are also against the use of powerboats. That National Park Authority has found that the swell from the boats erode the banks of the lakes and disturbs the wildlife and fish. |
Traffic Problems
Over 89 per cent of visitors come by car, often just for the day. Many roads, including A roads, are narrow and winding. Buses are large delivery vehicles have to use these to service both locals and tourists. Queues are a common problem, especially towards the end of the day when day trippers are heading home. Congestion and parking are serious problems. Bowness-on-Windermere has built a new car park at Braithwaite Fold on the edge of town and extended another, but capacity is still inadequate. In the countryside people park on grass verges, causing serious damage. |
Honeypot Sites
The Lake District has many
honeypot sites. A honeypot is a popular area and attraction
that large numbers of tourists visit. The Lake District has both physical
and cultural honeypot sites. For example Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s
is a popular cultural honeypot site, attracting around 150,000 visitors
each year. Bowness is a town located next to Lake Windermere and
is another example of a honeypot site with around 250,000 visitors a year.
Honeypot sites are often used as a way of managing mass tourism. They have the benefit of concentrating a large number of people in one area, this means certain areas will remain untouched and not visited by tourists. However, honeypot sites can suffer huge problems from overcrowding, this includes litter, traffic congestion and a strain on visitor facilities. |
What strategies are used to reduce the negative impacts from tourism?
Second Homes
Some areas of the Lake District have managed the issue of second homes by promoting timeshare holiday homes (e.g. Great Langdale Holiday Homes) Timeshare holiday homes means that many people will own the same property and are allowed to use it for certain weeks during one year. See http://www.langdale.co.uk/stay/timeshare/lake-district-timeshare.htm
Another strategy used to manage the issue of ‘second homes’ is by the councils banning second homes in the area altogether. This is done by the council charging more council tax to those who already own a home. So to help the local residents in need of housing.
The timeshare strategy will bring more tourists to the area outside of the main season as the properties are full for more weeks during the year. This will reduce them negative impacts of places like Troutbeck becoming a ghost town during the winter and local businesses suffering. For those tourists who were not discouraged by the higher council tax; the increase in money received by the council could be used to improve the infrastructure in the area which could then in turn encourage more visitors.
Some areas of the Lake District have managed the issue of second homes by promoting timeshare holiday homes (e.g. Great Langdale Holiday Homes) Timeshare holiday homes means that many people will own the same property and are allowed to use it for certain weeks during one year. See http://www.langdale.co.uk/stay/timeshare/lake-district-timeshare.htm
Another strategy used to manage the issue of ‘second homes’ is by the councils banning second homes in the area altogether. This is done by the council charging more council tax to those who already own a home. So to help the local residents in need of housing.
The timeshare strategy will bring more tourists to the area outside of the main season as the properties are full for more weeks during the year. This will reduce them negative impacts of places like Troutbeck becoming a ghost town during the winter and local businesses suffering. For those tourists who were not discouraged by the higher council tax; the increase in money received by the council could be used to improve the infrastructure in the area which could then in turn encourage more visitors.
Footpath Erosion
The LDNPA (Lake District National Park Authority) launched a Fix the Fells scheme (see http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/caringfor/projects/fixthefells) which aims at fundraising money for the repair of over 145 seriously eroded footpaths. Strategies used to repair footpaths include reseeding areas so grass will grow back or stone pitching which involves digging stone into the ground providing solid footfalls. Improving footpath erosion will ensure that footpaths are safe for walkers and encourage more trekkers to come to the area. http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/170473/path_erosion_factsheet.pdf) |
Watersports
A 10mph speed limit has been imposed on Lake Windermere. While solving issue of noise pollution and erosion there are other negative impacts on tourism on Lake Windermere. With a 10mph ban events such as the 30 year old ‘Records Attempt Week’ could be cancelled. This would lead to less people visiting the area and therefore less money being brought into the area. The 10mph restriction would prevent the erosion at the banks and therefore preserve the natural environment that attracts tourists to the area. With less noise it will also provide peace and tranquillity for people who want that kind of holiday. |
Traffic
Planning an efficient road network: Main roads (often duel carriage ways) are built on the edges of the Lake District with distributor roads linking the main tourist towns and villages to these larger roads Traffic calming measures are build on smaller roads in villages. Furthermore heavy lorries are kept off scenic roads unless necessary.
Planning public transport: Park and ride schemes encourage people to leave their cars at the edge of the National Park near a bus routes. Costs are lower than town car parks. Bus lanes operate in towns were possible; in many areas the lanes and streets are too narrow for separate bus lanes.
Planning an efficient road network: Main roads (often duel carriage ways) are built on the edges of the Lake District with distributor roads linking the main tourist towns and villages to these larger roads Traffic calming measures are build on smaller roads in villages. Furthermore heavy lorries are kept off scenic roads unless necessary.
Planning public transport: Park and ride schemes encourage people to leave their cars at the edge of the National Park near a bus routes. Costs are lower than town car parks. Bus lanes operate in towns were possible; in many areas the lanes and streets are too narrow for separate bus lanes.
Honey Pot Sites
Footpaths: These are repaired and reinforced (e.g. stone pitching) to reduce further damage. Signposts are used to limit the number of paths created by walkers.
Parking: Roadsides are fenced off to prevent tourists from not parking in the car parks. Many smaller car parks have been developed and hidden by landscaping by using trees. Many car parks have been reinforced by concrete to stop soil erosion.
Litter: Bins are provided at key tourist points and emptied regularly. Designated picnic areas (see image right) at built so litter is dealt with in fewer places. Signs are also placed in key areas to encourage tourists to be more responsible.
Footpaths: These are repaired and reinforced (e.g. stone pitching) to reduce further damage. Signposts are used to limit the number of paths created by walkers.
Parking: Roadsides are fenced off to prevent tourists from not parking in the car parks. Many smaller car parks have been developed and hidden by landscaping by using trees. Many car parks have been reinforced by concrete to stop soil erosion.
Litter: Bins are provided at key tourist points and emptied regularly. Designated picnic areas (see image right) at built so litter is dealt with in fewer places. Signs are also placed in key areas to encourage tourists to be more responsible.