There’s now only weeks to go until the £7.9 million Keswick to Threlkeld trail is fully reopened for the first time since 2015 and, following input from the local community, new branding has been agreed for the popular route.
The new logo, which will feature on way-markers and information panels along the trail, consists of a native water crowfoot flower and a railway wheel, which perfectly blends local flora and fauna, gives a nod to railway engineering and clearly depicts a place where nature and heritage thrive.
The on-site interpretation will include bitesize local nature information along the trail, larger panels on the railway and the bobbin history and information on Storm Desmond’s impact to the trail and local area.
Due to covid-19 restrictions, an online information sharing session took place last month to gauge opinion on the proposals for on-site interpretation and included members of Keswick Town Council, Friends of the Lake District and various community representatives along with Lake District National Park Area Ranger Cath Johnson.
A number of alterations and additions to the onsite communications plan were suggested by community representatives, discussed fully and have been included in the final interpretations.
Participants in the session also discussed access points, picnic and rest spots along the length of the trail and how best to bring the trail to life without impinging on the natural beauty of the route. A main point of discussion on the day was how best to encourage good manners from all user groups and these ideas have been included on the site panels.
Cath Johnson, Area Ranger with the Lake District National Park said: “We would like to thank everyone involved in the information session who helped us shape our on-site interpretation, their local knowledge was really helpful and we’re very happy with how the interpretation has taken shape to really enhance the trail for all users.
“We’d also like to thank the local community, once again, for their support with the project through fundraising, which was crucial in enabling the project to go ahead. We know that the local community is now every bit as excited as us to see the trail back in use for the first time in nearly five years and it’s full steam ahead for December.”
Thanks to a £7.9 million funding package from Highways England, the European Structural and Investment Funds, the Local Enterprise Partnership and community support from the Lake District Foundation work is due to be completed on the Keswick to Threlkeld trail in December.
Our image (updated 10/11/20) shows the logo for the new Keswick to Threlkeld Trail.
