rural tourism
Three Jewels of Lakeland T
his is the title devised for an initiative developed in the South West of Cumbria as part of the Arthur Rank Centre project: Hidden Britain Centres. The project aims to provide local groups with an opportunity to develop sustainable tourism projects in less well-known areas and contribute to economic regeneration and community development.
Our group decided that one of the best ways to encourage visitors to explore the three secluded valleys - Duddon Valley, Broughton Mills and Woodland, the Three Jewels of Lakeland referred to in the title, was to produce a set of guided walks. These are largely family walks, each on a separate card in a pack of 16, with illustrations, detailed guidance and points of interest. An accompanying booklet briefly describes the history, geology, wildlife and farming practices of this unspoilt area.
We were extremely lucky to be able to call on the professional skills of local artists, photographers and writers as well as having an enthusiastic team of contributors.
The information and detail in both the walks and the booklet have been well received by visitors and locals alike. The churches of the three valleys, which are all under the auspices of the parish of Broughton-in-Furness, are described here, as is the history of the local inns: the Newfield Inn in Seathwaite and the Blacksmiths Arms at Broughton Mills. Both these venues display the pack of walks and both report good sales. The pack is also available from the local shop-cum-Post Office in Ulpha and sells well alongside the maps and goodies bought by walkers and visitors, as well as the local people.
The pack of walks also includes information on the ancient settlements that abound in the area which are largely invisible to the uninitiated, but are of great interest to visitors. The beautiful illustrations of buildings, animals and plants make identification easy and provide a focus to keep
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younger walkers ‘on track’! The start points for each walk were deliberately chosen to provide parking areas for cars and to encourage the use of local amenities such as the shop in the Duddon Valley and the Newfield Inn and Blacksmiths Arms.
It is almost impossible as yet to quantify the results of a project such as this, but the fact that people have been so positive about it speaks for itself. Copies of the pack have sold well from all outlets, including bookshops and Tourist Information centres in the South Lakes area. They have been sold for personal use and as gifts for others, which all suggests that the results will be long term, bringing this beautiful and unspoilt area of Cumbria to the attention of a wider audience. This can only lead to an increase in the local revenues which will in turn help to provide the necessary income to guarantee jobs and therefore the population of this quiet and lovely rural area.
Sheila Milton
Duddon Valley Hidden Britain Centre
www.hidden-britain.co.uk www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk
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