The Lake District becomes World Heritage Site

We are thrilled to hear that the Lake District has become a World Heritage Site, joining iconic locations such as the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, the Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu by being awarded Unesco World Heritage status.

With its famous landscape of mountains, valleys and lakes, which are visited by around 18 million people every year, the Lake District national park was one of 33 sites around the world to be considered by the Unesco committee in Krakow, Poland, and was praised for its beauty, farming and the inspiration it has provided to artists and writers.

Home to England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, the landscape’s outstanding beauty has inspired the likes of William Wordsworth and author Beatrix Potter. The Lake District is now the UK’s first national park to win world heritage status, and Britain’s 31st World Heritage site.

5 THINGS TO DO IN THE LAKES  →

Chairman of the Partnership, Lord Clark of Windermere, described the prestigious status as momentous and will bring great benefits for locals, visitors, tourism, businesses and farming. It now joins just over 1,000 World Heritage Sites worldwide.

Three key themes underpinned the bid for World Heritage Site status, recognising the Lake District National Park as a cultural landscape of international significance. These include world ranking examples of identity – the dramatic farmed landscape; inspiration – art, literature and love of the place. This in turn sparked the birth of conservation – people fought and invested to look after this special corner of England.

Lord Clark explained: “It is this exceptional blend which makes our Lake District so spectacularly unique and we are delighted UNESCO has agreed. A great many people have come together to make this happen and we believe the decision will have long and lasting benefits for the spectacular Lake District landscape, the 18million visitors we welcome every year and for the people who call the National Park their home.”

Watch this short clip – World Heritage inspiration video 2017

Lake District National Park Chief Executive, Richard Leafe, said; “The Lake District is an evolving landscape that has changed over time and will continue to do so. Improving landscape biodiversity and looking after our cultural heritage underpin the Partnership’s management plan which sets out how, together, we will look after the National Park as a World Heritage Site for everyone to enjoy.”

#WeAreTheLakes

Locals and visitors across the Lake District are being invited to celebrate the UK’s latest World Heritage Site this weekend by coming together for a Picnic in the Park! Marking the first weekend as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (15 and 16 July) lovers of the Lake District are encouraged to take a trip to their favourite picnic spot, café, garden, fell or iconic lakeside view in the National Park and share their photos using #WeAreTheLakes, which will appear on the World Heritage website.

5 THINGS TO DO IN THE LAKES  →