Sustainable tourism initiatives

Go Lakes Travel

The Go Lakes Travel programme is a £6.9 million initiative, funded by the Department of Transport, and being delivered in partnership by Cumbria County Council, the Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria Tourism.

Between 2011 and 2015 it aimed to generate a step-change in how visitors travel to and around the Central and Southern Lake District, enabling them to make greater use of sustainable modes of travel.

Some key objectives include:

• Improving public transport services and traffic management to tackle congestion and reduce delays
• Creating a network of pay-as-you-go car and cycle hire fleets
• Developing safe, continuous networks for walking, cycling and wheelchair use
• Making paying for, and changing between different modes of travel easier, through integrated ticketing and discounts for those arriving by public transport
• Targeted marketing and information designed to change visitors' travel behaviour to/from and around the Lakes
• Ensure that, as far as possible, local residents and communities benefit from the programme

Find out more at www.golakestravel.co.uk (opens in new window) 

GoLakes Travel was followed by the See More Cumbria and the Lake District project

Find out more about the legacy and achievements of these projects.

Fix the Fells

Footpath erosion is a serious threat to the mountain environment and consequently to the tourist industry. Walking is the most popular activity for visitors to the Lake District and fifteen million pairs of feet are very damaging to the footpaths particularly on the high fells.

The Fix the Fells project is a partnership of six organisations lead by the National Trust. It maintains and repairs the upland paths preventing further erosion. This is vital work without which access to the fells would be limited with severe impacts on the tourism industry.

Check out www.fixthefells.co.uk (opens in new window) 

Lake District Foundation

(formerly Nurture Lakeland)

The Lake District Foundation was established as a charity in August 2017. Prior to this, under the name Nurture Lakeland, the organisation had been working for 23 years to raise funds from visitors and the tourism industry. We also delivered sustainable tourism programmes and messages across Cumbria, gaining national recognition. The Lake District Foundation will build on this work and grow in reach, impact and influence.

Love Your Lakes

This initiative encourages visitors, businesses and local people to take simple steps to reduce the amount of phosphates entering Windermere. This will improve water quality and reduce toxic algal blooms.

Low carbon cottages

This scheme aims to reduce carbon emissions and running costs of traditionally built holiday cottages without damaging any of their essential character. Working with holiday cottage owners and letting companies, they want to prove that cottages can meet the highest of environmental standards without it costing the earth, either to the owners or to the holidaymakers.

Find out more at www.nurturelakeland.org (opens in new window)