Lake District celebrates 75 years as a National Park
The Lake District is celebrating its 75th anniversary of being a designated National Park.
England’s largest National Park was given its National Park status in May 1951, following the Peak District and alongside Eryri, and Dartmoor.
The dramatic and easily recognisable landscape of the Lake District was designated as a National Park due to its special qualities, which include a unique farming heritage, its mosaic of lakes, tarns, rivers and coast and because it is a source of artistic inspiration. Some of these special qualities would later become attributes of outstanding universal value, and part of the reason the Lake District was awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO in 2017.
To mark the 75th birthday the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) will be running a series of volunteer-led guided walks between May and August, with more than 80 walks taking place.
The walks will explore different areas of the National Park, from its communities and villages to breath-taking summit views overlooking lakes and tarns. One of the volunteers leading the walks will be Ron Wood, who has volunteered with the National Park Authority for 60 years and started leading guided walks in 1966.
Talking about his first walk, he said: “We went up to Todd Cragg and the idea was people weren’t leaving their cars, because they didn’t know how to get onto the hills.”
After years of learning different skills, having a hand in everything from tree planting to hedge laying, Ron said: “Dry stone walling is the most satisfying. When you get [guided] walks you can tell people about dry stone walls. What they first see is a pile of stones. After the walk finishes, what they see is something totally different, they can appreciate how it’s made.”
You can book on to one of the volunteer-led guided walks by visiting www.lakedistrict.gov.uk and searching ‘Guided Walk’.
As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations, Lake District Foundation is gifting a £50,000 grant fund to the National Park as part of the HEART Heritage Lottery Fund project to celebrate its birthday. The funding will support practical projects which help the landscape and its communities thrive.
Gavin Capstick, Chief Executive of LDNPA, said: “We’re grateful to the Lake District Foundation for their birthday donation to the National Park, which will go towards on-the-ground projects which support this truly special place.
“The 75th anniversary is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the years of incredible work done to protect and enhance this unique and beautiful landscape. We continue to encourage people to take opportunities for quiet enjoyment in the National Park, while learning about its natural and cultural heritage and engaging with the vibrant communities who call this place home.”
Lake District National Park Authority, alongside Peak District, Eryri and Dartmoor, will be releasing a report in the coming months exploring sustainable funding options. The report will detail potential ways to support the future of National Parks, which have a vital role in conserving unique landscapes and promoting the understanding and enjoyment of these special places.
As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations, LDNPA has launched a new website, which is user-friendly, accessible, and interactive. Visit the new look website at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk
To get involved in the 75th anniversary, enter the Instagram giveaway for a copy of The Complete Guide to the UK National Parks by Mike Appleton. Simply share a video or post of yourself doing something positive for the National Park, tag @lakedistrictnpa and use the hashtag #LakeDistrict75. Entries close 31st July, 2026, terms and conditions can be viewed on the LDNPA website: https://lakedistrict.gov.uk/terms-and-conditions/competitions-tcs/
