Learning and Engagement leader showing a identification key to a group of children during a pond dipping session

Learning resources

Home Learning Learning resources

Bring the National Park into the classroom and connect learners to the outdoors with curriculum linked learning resources and activities.

Discover engaging resources for primary and secondary school learners here!

Bring the Lake District to life with History resources from prehistory to modern day, Geography resources including mountains, climate, farming and tourism and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) resources using STEM skills to protect our National Park.

History resources

Explore the Lake District’s historical and cultural heritage

Uncover rich historical and cultural heritage of the Lake District with these curriculum-linked resources for teachers and students. From Roman forts like Hardknott to industrial heritage and World War II stories, you’ll find a wealth of background information, case studies, and teaching materials to inspire learning.

Aerial view of the ruins of a fort. You can see the square outline of the footprint of the fort, with the remains of some buildings within the square. The landscape outside the fort is a mix of light and dark brown

Timeline

Hardknott Fort

Hardknott fort, the best preserved Roman fort in Cumbria south of Hadrian’s wall is a 3 acre stone fort built beside a Roman Road which stretched from the west coast across Hardknott and Wrynose passes to Windermere and beyond.

Picture of the front of the Grasmere gingerbread shop.

Cultural heritage

Grasmere Gingerbread is made and sold, one of many popular places to visit in the area - Grasmere. It was set up by a lady called Sarah Nelson, whose family needed to raise extra income when they moved to the house, the former village school, in 1854.

Romans

This set of resources is for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils. Information is divided into seven easy to follow sessions for delivery in the classroom. It includes a booklet, worksheets and photographs

Black and white photograph of Greenside mine

Industrial

Discovering Industrial Sites in the Lake District is a resource for Key Stage 3 pupils. The resource was developed after consultation with History co-ordinators at Cumbria’s secondary schools.

An old pill box concrete builing with square holes on Dunmail Rise dating back to WW2

World War II

Although the Lake District was far away from the battlefront and less vulnerable to air attacks, the outbreak of World War Two (WWII) did have an impact on the people living and working here. These online resources are designed to help teachers, parents and students understand how the war affected the Lake District landscape and its people.

a picture featuring stones and mountains

History case studies

Check out our case studies on some of the ancient sites in the National Park. From Prehistorical through to Industrial Revolution, Victorian and Modern eras.

Explore all

Geography resources

Deepen your understanding of the Lake District with inspiring geography resources for the classroom and beyond

Discover a range of educational Geography resources, designed to bring the Lake District to life for your students. From dramatic mountain landscapes and traditional hill farming to wildlife conservation, climate patterns, and tourism impacts, these materials provide real-world examples to support your teaching. Whether you’re planning a visit or enhancing lessons in the classroom, our resources offer valuable insights into one of the UK’s most iconic National Parks.

Mountain landscape

Learn about a typically dramatic Western Lake District landscape with a flat valley bottom - such as Wasdale Fell which looks down towards the small hamlet of Wasdale Head which has a pub, a few B&Bs, a hotel and a couple of farms.

Farming

The upland climate of the Lake District is harsh with low temperatures, high rainfall, thin soils and exposed steep gradients. This limits the type of farming that can be practised here, the most common being hill sheep farming but cattle are grazed in lowland areas.

Red squirrel amongst woodland bluebells looking at the camera

Wildlife

Learn about protected species such as the red squirrel in the Lake District National Park. For example - the red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris), which is native to the woodlands of the Lake District and one of the few remaining areas of the country where this animal can still be found in the wild.

View across Blea Tarn in the Langdales during winter with snow on the mountains in the background

Weather and climate

General figures for average weather in the Lake District are 200 wet days per year and 145 dry days per year and 20 snowy days per year. However the weather on the fell tops will never be predictable and will always be ‘worse’ due to the relief rainfall caused by the height of the fells and the chill factor caused by the wind.

Water

The Industrial Revolution in Manchester created demand for more water in the city suburbs and factories. This led to a search for water sources which ended in Thirlmere. Following an Act of Parliament, work begun on a dam at the north end.

Tourism

Current surveys show that about 18 million visitors come to the Lake District each year. Most come to enjoy the scenery, peace and quiet and walking but many others visit specific attractions or take part in an outdoor activity.

Explore all

Educational visits to Brockhole

Inspire learning in the heart of the Lake District

More about our learning sessions

STEM to protect National Parks

This teacher resource is for top end KS2 and KS3 STEM skills, in the classroom or as homework. Students complete five challenges looking at sustainable travel to and around the Lake District National Park. Classroom ideas, data, activity templates and answers are all included.

STEM resources

Image showing a mosaic of lakes, tarns, rivers and coast

Facts and figures

Find information about the Lake District, including our 16 largest lakes and 10 highest mountains.

Facts and figures

Early morning looking across Loughrigg Tarn surrounded by green field and trees and silhouette fells in the distance

Free photo library

Need some pictures for a project? Find free photos of the Lake District National Park here.

LDNPA photo library

yellow and purple wildflower meadow surrounded by wooded green fells on a sunny day

Famous writers

Discover how the spectacular landscape of the Lake District inspired some of England’s most celebrated writers.

Famous writers

Geology

Learn about the geological processes and rock formations that have produced the physical landscape of mountains and lakes of the Lake District.

Find out about the geology, rocks and minerals of Coniston Copper.

Geology and geomorphology

Frosty morning in the Langdales with white frost covering the fields and a glimpse of sun covering the top of a craggy fell.

Learn more about the UK's 15 National Parks

For facts and figures about other National Parks, check out the teaching resources from National Parks UK.

View the teaching resources