104-780: Cark (sometimes Cark in Cartmel ) is a village in Cumbria , England. It lies on the B5278 road to Haverthwaite (and to the A590 road ) and is ½ mile north of Flookburgh , 2 miles southwest of Cartmel and 3 miles west of Grange-over-Sands . It is in the historic county of Lancashire . The village is served by the Cark and Cartmel railway station on the Furness Line between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster . The village used to have
208-498: A Labour majority administration since the 2022 Cumberland Council election , and Westmorland and Furness has had a Liberal Democrat majority administration since the 2022 Westmorland and Furness Council election . Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council collaborate through a Joint Executive Committee and the Enterprising Cumbria Economic Growth Body. In September 2024,
312-709: A box of trunk routes and major A roads. It is flanked to the east by the A6 road , which runs from Kendal to Penrith (though the National Park extension approved in 2015 is east of the A6); across its southern fringes by the A590 , which connects the M6 to Barrow-in-Furness, and the A5092 , and across its northern edge by the A66 trunk road between Penrith and Workington . The A595 (linking
416-436: A further 200 days with some rain, and 145 completely dry days. Hill fog is common at any time of year, and the fells average only around 2.5 hours of sunshine per day, increasing to around 4.1 hours per day on the coastal plains. The Lake District is home to a great variety of wildlife, because of its varied topography, lakes, and forests. It provides a home for the red squirrel and colonies of sundew and butterwort , two of
520-468: A general " right to roam " in open country, which includes approximately 50% of the national park. Many of these tracks arose centuries ago and were used either as ridge highways (such as along High Street ) or as passes for travelling across the ridges between settlements in the valleys. Historically these paths were not planned for reaching summits, but more recently they are used by fell walkers for that purpose. The Coast to Coast Walk , which crosses
624-680: A name similar to 'Cum-ri' which means "fellow countrymen" (and has also survived in the Welsh name for Wales which is Cymru ). The first datable record of the place name as Cumberland is from an entry in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle for the year AD 945. This record refers to a kingdom known to the Anglo Saxons as Cumberland (often also known as Strathclyde) which in the 10th century may have stretched from Loch Lomond to Leeds. The first king to be unequivocally described as king of
728-603: A shooting spree that spanned over 24 kilometres (15 mi) along the Cumbrian coastline. Local newspapers The Westmorland Gazette and Cumberland and Westmorland Herald continue to use the name of their historic counties. Other publications, such as local government promotional material, describe the area as "Cumbria", as does the Lake District National Park Authority. Cumbria is the most northwesterly ceremonial county of England and
832-430: A system of permits operates on Gatescarth Pass . Most of the land within the national park is in private ownership, with about 55% registered as agricultural land. Landowners include: The Lake District is a roughly circular upland massif , deeply dissected by a broadly radial pattern of major valleys which are largely the result of repeated glaciations over the last 2 million years. The apparent radial pattern
936-558: A traditional version of football, with its origins in medieval football or an even earlier form. Players from outside Workington also take part, especially fellow West Cumbrians from Whitehaven and Maryport . Cumbria formerly had minor American football clubs, the Furness Phantoms (the club is now defunct, its last name was Morecambe Bay Storm ) and the Carlisle Kestrels. Barrow and Carlisle United are
1040-459: A water-powered cotton mill between 1785 and c1815. Cark is ½ mile south of Holker Hall owned by Lord and Lady Cavendish . Royal Air Force Station Cark was constructed near Flookburgh in late 1940. It was used by training and anti-aircraft co-operation units from March 1941 until closure in December 1945. After many years of disuse, it was reopened for civilian use and is the location of
1144-433: Is England's deepest lake. The Central Fells are lower in elevation than surrounding areas of fell, peaking at 762 m (2,500 ft) at High Raise . They take the form of a ridge running between Derwent Water in the west and Thirlmere in the east, from Keswick in the north to Langdale Pikes in the south. A spur extends southeast to Loughrigg Fell above Ambleside. The central ridge running north over High Seat
SECTION 10
#17327811717941248-794: Is a very popular sport in south and West Cumbria. Barrow , Whitehaven and Workington play in the Rugby League Championships . Amateur teams; Wath Brow Hornets, Askam , Egremont Rangers , Kells , Barrow Island, Hensingham and Millom play in the National Conference . Cumbria County Cricket Club is one of the cricket clubs that constitute the National Counties in the English domestic cricket structure. The club, based in Carlisle , competes in
1352-527: Is at present the only university in Cumbria and has campuses across the county, together with Lancaster and London. The M6 is the only motorway that runs through Cumbria. Kendal and Penrith are amongst its primary destinations. Further north it becomes the A74(M) at the border with Scotland north of Carlisle . Major A roads within Cumbria include: Several bus companies run services in Cumbria serving
1456-519: Is called by that name, Bassenthwaite Lake . All the others such as Windermere , Coniston Water , Ullswater and Buttermere are meres, tarns and waters, with mere being the least common and water being the most common. The major lakes and reservoirs in the National Park are given below. Below the tree line are wooded areas, including British and European native oak woodlands and introduced softwood plantations. The woodlands provide habitats for native English wildlife. The native red squirrel
1560-528: Is exceptionally boggy. The Eastern Fells consist of a long north-to-south ridge , the Helvellyn range , running from Clough Head to Seat Sandal with the 950 m (3,118 ft) Helvellyn at its highest point. The western slopes of these summits tend to be grassy, with rocky corries and crags on the eastern side. The Fairfield group lies to the south of the range and forms a similar pattern with towering rock faces and hidden valleys spilling into
1664-531: Is found in the Lake District and a few other parts of England. In parts of the Lake District, the rainfall is higher than in any other part of England. This gives Atlantic mosses , ferns , lichen , and liverworts the chance to grow. There is some ancient woodland in the National Park. Management of the woodlands varies: some are coppiced , some pollarded , some left to grow naturally, and some provide grazing and shelter. The Lake District extends to
1768-473: Is mostly mountainous, with large upland areas to the south-west and east. The south-west contains the Lake District , a national park and UNESCO world heritage site which includes Scafell Pike , England's highest mountain at 978 metres (3,209 ft), and Windermere , its longest and largest lake. The Border Moors and North Pennines lie along the county's eastern border. The south-east contains
1872-577: Is not from a central dome, but from an axial watershed extending from St Bees Head in the west to Shap in the east. Most of these valleys display the U-shaped cross-section characteristic of glacial origin and often contain long narrow lakes in bedrock hollows, with tracts of relatively flat ground at their infilled heads, or where they are divided by lateral tributaries (Buttermere-Crummock Water; Derwent Water-Bassenthwaite Lake). Smaller lakes known as tarns occupy glacial cirques at higher elevations. It
1976-546: Is now the Scottish border during the Caledonian orogeny . The northern central peaks, such as Great Rigg, were produced by considerable lava flows. These lava eruptions were followed by a series of pyroclastic eruptions which produced a series of calderas, one of which includes present-day Scafell Pike. These pyroclastic rocks give rise to the craggy landscapes typical of the central fells. The southeastern band comprises
2080-510: Is the abundance of both which has led to the area becoming known as the Lake District. Many of the higher fells are rocky, while moorland predominates lower down. Vegetation cover in better-drained areas includes bracken and heather , although much of the land is boggy , due to the high rainfall. Deciduous native woodland occurs on many of the steeper slopes below the tree line , but with native oak supplemented by extensive conifer plantations in many areas, particularly Grizedale Forest in
2184-524: Is the deepest lake in England. The Lake District National Park was established in 1951, and covers an area of 2,362 km (912 square miles), the bulk of the region. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. The Lake District National Park includes all of the central Lake District, though the town of Kendal , some coastal areas and the Cartmel and Furness peninsulas are outside
SECTION 20
#17327811717942288-595: Is the largest of the thirteen national parks in England and Wales and the second largest in the UK after the Cairngorms National Park . Its aim is to protect the landscape by restricting unwelcome change by industry or commerce. The area of the national park, with the exception of the 2016 extension, was designated a World Heritage Site in 2017 as a cultural landscape . This was the fourth attempt to list
2392-522: Is tourism, with the county attracting over 47 million visitors annually. The Lake District National Park alone receives some 15.8 million visitors every year. Despite this, fewer than 50,000 people reside permanently within the Lake District: mostly in Ambleside , Bowness-on-Windermere , Coniston , Keswick , Gosforth , Grasmere and Windermere . Over 36,000 Cumbrians are employed in
2496-677: The B5343 . Other valleys such as Little Langdale , Eskdale and Dunnerdale are served by minor roads. The last of these is connected with the first two by the Wrynose and Hardknott passes respectively; both of these passes are known for their steep gradients and are together one of the most popular climbs in the United Kingdom for cycling enthusiasts. A minor road through the Newlands Valley connects via Newlands Hause with
2600-819: The Conference North . Barrow were then promoted to the Conference Premier in 2007/08. In 2020, Barrow were promoted to the Football League as a result of winning the National League . Rugby union is popular in the county's north and east with teams such as Furness RUFC & Hawcoat Park RUFC (South Cumbria), Workington RUFC (Workington Zebras), Whitehaven RUFC, Carlisle RUFC, Creighton RUFC, Aspatria RUFC , Wigton RUFC, Kendal RUFC , Kirkby Lonsdale RUFC, Keswick RUFC, Cockermouth RUFC, Upper Eden RUFC and Penrith RUFC . Rugby league
2704-610: The Cornish and Gouren styles indicating that it may have developed out of a longer-standing Celtic tradition. Lake District The Lake District , also known as the Lakes or Lakeland , is a mountainous region and national park in Cumbria , North West England . It is famous for its landscape, including its lakes, coast, and the Cumbrian mountains , and for its literary associations with Beatrix Potter , John Ruskin , and
2808-569: The Furness Fells or Coniston Fells, have as their northern boundary the steep and narrow Hardknott and Wrynose passes. The highest are Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How which slightly exceed 800 m (2,600 ft). The third group to the west of the Duddon includes Harter Fell and the long ridge leading over Whitfell to Black Combe and the sea. The south of this region consists of lower forests and knolls, with Kirkby Moor on
2912-582: The Furness Line and much of the Settle-Carlisle Railway . Cumbria's largest settlement and only city is Carlisle , in the north of the county. The largest town, Barrow-in-Furness , in the south, is slightly smaller. The county's population is largely rural: it has the second-lowest population density among English counties, and only five towns with over 20,000 people. Cumbria is one of the country's most ethnically homogeneous counties, with 95% categorised as White British (around 471,000 of
3016-641: The Kirkstone Pass . Some valleys which are not penetrated by A roads are served by B roads . The B5289 serves Lorton Vale and Buttermere and links via the Honister Pass with Borrowdale . The B5292 ascends the Whinlatter Pass from Lorton Vale before dropping down to Braithwaite near Keswick. The B5322 serves the valley of St John's in the Vale whilst Great Langdale is served by
3120-534: The Lake Poets . The Cumbrian mountains, or fells , include England's highest : Scafell Pike (978 m; 3,209 ft), Helvellyn (950 m; 3,120 ft) and Skiddaw (931 m; 3,054 ft). The region also contains sixteen major lakes. They include Windermere , which with a length of 11 miles (18 km) and an area of 5.69 square miles (14.73 km ) is the longest and largest lake in England, and Wast Water , which at 79 metres (259 ft)
3224-545: The Lakes Aquarium and South Lakes Safari Zoo , the last of which would almost certainly rank within the top five). Cumbria is governed by two unitary authorities, Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. The Cumberland unitary authority area covers the north and west of Cumbria, and Westmorland and Furness the south and east; they are named after the historic counties of Cumberland and Westmorland , but have different boundaries. Cumberland has had
Cark - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-582: The Leven Estuary , and the western banks and tidal flats of the Kent Estuary . These areas are each characterised by sand and mudflats of scenic and wildlife interest. The coast is backed by extensive flats of raised marine deposits left when the relative sea level was higher. The Lake District's geology is very complex but well-studied. A granite batholith beneath the area is responsible for this upland massif, its relatively low density causing
3432-777: The National Counties Cricket Championship and the NCCA Knockout Trophy . The club also play some home matches in Workington , as well as other locations. Cumbrian club cricket teams play in the North Lancashire and Cumbria League . Cumbria is home to the Cartmel Valley Lions , an amateur baseball team based in Cartmel. Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling is an ancient and well-practised tradition in
3536-565: The North West Parachute Centre . [REDACTED] Media related to Cark at Wikimedia Commons This Cumbria location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cumbria Cumbria ( / ˈ k ʌ m b r i ə / KUM -bree-ə ) is a ceremonial county in North West England . It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to
3640-656: The Orton Fells , Howgill Fells and part of the Yorkshire Dales , which are all within the Yorkshire Dales national park . The Vale of Eden , the valley of the River Eden , runs south-east to north-west between these upland areas, and broadens into the Solway Plain near Carlisle. The county has long coast to the west, which is bordered by a plain for most of its length. In the north-west it borders
3744-598: The Patterdale valley. It culminates in the height of Red Screes overlooking the Kirkstone Pass . The Far Eastern Fells refers to all of the Lakeland fells to the east of Ullswater and the A592 road running south to Windermere. At 828 m (2,717 ft), the peak known as High Street is the highest point on a complex ridge that runs broadly north-south and overlooks the hidden valley of Haweswater to its east. In
3848-668: The Roman Empire had conquered in about AD 85. Based on inscriptional evidence from the area, the Roman civitas of the Carvetii seems to have covered portions of Cumbria. The names Cumbria , Cymru (the native Welsh name for Wales ), Cambria , and Cumberland are derived from the name these people gave themselves, * kombroges in Common Brittonic , which originally meant "compatriots". Although Cumbria
3952-584: The Romantic movement , such as William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge , lived among, and were inspired by, the lakes and mountains of the region. Later, the children's writer Beatrix Potter also wrote in the region and became a major landowner, granting much of her property to the National Trust on her death. In turn, the large amount of land owned by the National Trust assisted in
4056-490: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs . The precise extent of the Lake District is undefined, but it is sometimes considered to be slightly larger than that of the National Park, whose total area is about 2,362 square kilometres (912 sq mi). The park extends just over 51 kilometres (32 mi) from east to west and nearly 64 kilometres (40 mi) from north to south, with areas such as
4160-623: The Skiddaw Group and include the rocks traditionally known as the Skiddaw Slates . Their friability generally leads to mountains with relatively smooth slopes such as Skiddaw itself. The central band is a mix of volcanic and sedimentary rocks of mid-to-late Ordovician age comprising the lavas and tuffs of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group , erupted as the former Iapetus Ocean was subducted beneath what
4264-670: The Solway Firth , a national landscape , and to the south are the Cartmel and Furness peninsulas. East of the peninsulas, the county contains part of Arnside and Silverdale , also a national landscape. The Lancaster Canal runs from Preston into southern Cumbria and is partly in use. The Ulverston Canal which once reached to Morecambe Bay is maintained although it was closed in 1945. The northernmost and southernmost points in Cumbria are just west of Deadwater, Northumberland and South Walney respectively. Kirkby Stephen (close to Tan Hill, North Yorkshire ) and St Bees Head are
Cark - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-407: The Solway Firth , a national landscape, and the southern coast includes the Cartmel and Furness peninsulas. East of the peninsulas, the county contains part of Arnside and Silverdale another national landscape The county contains several Neolithic monuments, such as Mayburgh Henge . The region was on the border of Roman Britain , and Hadrian's Wall runs through the north of the county. In
4472-601: The Vale of Eden , the wide valley of the River Eden which runs south-east to north-west across the county and broadens into the Solway Plain near Carlisle. To the north-east are part of the Border Moors and to the east part of the North Pennines ; the latter have been designated a national landscape . South of the vale are the Orton Fells , Howgill Fells , and part of the Yorkshire Dales , which are all within
4576-413: The Yorkshire Dales national park . The south-west contains the Lake District , a large upland area which has been designated a national park and UNESCO world heritage site . It includes Scafell Pike , England's highest mountain, and Windermere , its longest and largest lake. The county has long coast to the west, which is bordered by a plain for most of its length. In the north-west it borders
4680-526: The "Cumbrian Mountains", "Cumbrian Fells" or "Lakeland Fells". The four highest fells exceed 3,000 feet (914 m). These are: The Northern Fells are a clearly defined range of hills contained within a 13 km (8 mi) diameter circle between Keswick in the southwest and Caldbeck in the northeast. They culminate in the 931 m (3,054 ft) peak of Skiddaw . Other notable peaks are Blencathra (also known as Saddleback) (868 m (2,848 ft)) and Carrock Fell . Bassenthwaite Lake occupies
4784-484: The 500,000). The larger towns have ethnic makeups closer to the national average. The 2001 census indicated Christianity was the religion with the most adherents in the county. 2010 ONS estimates placed the number of foreign-born (non-United Kingdom) people living in Cumbria at around 14,000 and foreign nationals at 6,000. Population trends indicate a gradual decline in younger demographics, with an increasing proportion of elderly residents. The 2001 UK Census showed
4888-683: The A66 with the A5092) forms the park boundary from Calder Bridge to Holmrook, then crosses the coastal plain of the park until turning inland at the Whicham Valley, forming much of the park boundary again until joining the A5092 at Grizebeck. Besides these, a few A roads penetrate the area itself, notably the A591 which runs north-westwards from Kendal to Windermere and then on to Keswick. It continues up
4992-589: The B5289 at Buttermere. Wasdale is served by a cul-de-sac minor road, as is Longsleddale and the valleys at Haweswater and Kentmere . There are networks of minor roads in the lower-lying southern part of the area, connecting numerous communities between Kendal, Windermere, and Coniston. The West Coast Main Line skirts the eastern edge of the Lake District and the Cumbrian Coast Line passes through
5096-436: The Cumbria coast. The busiest railway stations in Cumbria are Carlisle , Barrow-in-Furness , Penrith and Oxenholme Lake District . The 399 miles (642 km) West Coast Main Line runs through the Cumbria countryside, adjacent to the M6 motorway. The Cumbrian Coast Line connects Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle and is a vital link in the west of the county. Other railways in Cumbria are the Windermere Branch Line , most of
5200-615: The Cumbrians is Owain ap Dyfnwal , who ruled from c. 915 – c. 937 . Cumbria was created in April 1974 through an amalgamation of the administrative counties of Cumberland and Westmorland , to which parts of Lancashire (the area known as Lancashire North of the Sands ) and of the West Riding of Yorkshire were added. During the Neolithic period the area contained an important centre of stone axe production (the so-called Langdale axe factory ), products of which have been found across Great Britain. During this period, stone circles and henges were built across
5304-408: The Early Middle Ages parts of the region successively belonged to Rheged , Northumbria , and Strathclyde , and there was also a Viking presence. It became the border between England and Scotland, and was unsettled until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. During the Industrial Revolution mining took place on the Cumberland coalfield and Barrow-in-Furness became a shipbuilding centre, but the county
SECTION 50
#17327811717945408-622: The Lake District Peninsulas to the south lying outside the National Park. There are only a few major settlements within this mountainous area: the towns of Keswick ; Windermere and Bowness-on-Windermere (which are contiguous); and Ambleside, are the three largest. The economies of all these are heavily dependent on tourism. Significant settlements close to the boundary of the national park include Carlisle , Barrow-in-Furness , Kendal , Ulverston , Dalton-in-Furness , Whitehaven , Workington , Cockermouth , Penrith , Millom and Grange-over-Sands ; each of these has important economic links with
5512-414: The Lake District is generally very windy: the coastal areas have 20 days of gales, and the fell tops around 100 days of gales per year. The maritime climate means that the Lake District has relatively moderate temperature variations throughout the year. The mean temperature in the valleys ranges from about 3 °C (37 °F) in January to around 15 °C (59 °F) in July. (By comparison, Moscow , at
5616-440: The Lake District. They can be regarded as comprising a northern grouping between Wasdale, Eskdale, and the two Langdale valleys, a southeastern group east of Dunnerdale and south of Little Langdale, and a southwestern group bounded by Eskdale to the north and Dunnerdale to the east. The first group includes England's highest mountains: Scafell Pike in the centre, at 978 m (3,209 ft) and Scafell one mile (1.6 km) to
5720-430: The Liberal Democrats. The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies abolished Copeland, Workington, and Penrith and the Border, replacing them with the new constituencies of Penrith and Solway and Whitehaven and Workington . The three remaining constituencies underwent significant boundary changes, including some electoral wards being transferred from Westmorland and Lonsdale to Morecambe and Lunesdale , making
5824-539: The North Lonsdale or Furness part of Lancashire , usually referred to as "Lancashire North of the Sands", (including the county borough of Barrow-in-Furness ) and, from the West Riding of Yorkshire , the Sedbergh Rural District . Between 1974 and 2023 it was governed by Cumbria County Council but in 2023 the county council was abolished and replaced by two new unitary authorities Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. On 2 June 2010, taxi driver Derrick Bird killed 12 people and injured 11 others in
5928-488: The area to be "buoyed up". The granite can be seen at the surface as the Ennerdale, Skiddaw, Carrock Fell, Eskdale, and Shap granites. Broadly speaking the area can be divided into three bands, divisions which run southwest to the northeast. Generally speaking, the rocks become younger from the northwest to the southeast. The northwestern band is composed of early to mid- Ordovician sedimentary rocks , largely mudstones and siltstones of marine origin. Together they comprise
6032-400: The area, which consists of the High Stile ridge north of Ennerdale, the Loweswater Fells in the far northwest, the Pillar group in the southwest, and Great Gable (899 m (2,949 ft)) near Sty Head. Other tops include Seatallan , Haystacks and Kirk Fell . This area is craggy and steep, with the impressive pinnacle of Pillar Rock its showpiece. Wastwater , located in this part,
6136-410: The area. Other villages are Coniston , Threlkeld , Glenridding , Pooley Bridge , Broughton-in-Furness , Grasmere , Newby Bridge , Staveley , Lindale , Gosforth and Hawkshead . Beyond these are a scattering of hamlets and many isolated farmsteads, some of which are still tied to agriculture; others now function as part of the tourist economy. The Lake District is very nearly contained within
6240-485: The boundaries of the national park (and additionally Drigg , about a third of a mile from the park boundary). The line gives railway enthusiasts and others a flavour of a pre- Beeching railway line, with features like manually operated level crossing gates, as well as giving a good connection to the steam railway into Eskdale and providing access for cyclists and serious walkers to the Western Fells. The narrow gauge Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway runs from Ravenglass on
6344-412: The coast of the Irish Sea from Drigg in the north to Silecroft in the south, encompassing the estuaries of the Esk and its tributaries, the Irt and the Mite . The intertidal zone of the combined estuaries includes sand, shingle and mudflats, and saltmarsh . The dune systems on either side of the estuary are protected as nature reserves; Drigg Dunes and Gullery to the north and Eskmeals Dunes to
SECTION 60
#17327811717946448-486: The county with a strong resemblance to Scottish Backhold . In the 21st century Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling along with other aspects of Lakeland culture are practised at the Grasmere Sports and Show, an annual meeting held every year since 1852 on the August Bank Holiday . The origin of this form of wrestling is a matter of debate, with some describing it as having evolved from Norse wrestling brought over by Viking invaders, while other historians associate it with
6552-414: The county, and today, Cumbria has one of the largest number of preserved field monuments in England'. While not part of the region conquered in the Romans' initial conquest of Britain in AD 43, most of modern-day Cumbria was later conquered in response to a revolt deposing the Roman-aligned ruler of the Brigantes in AD 69. The Romans built a number of fortifications in the area during their occupation,
6656-400: The dynamic political situation of the region. There were at least three sieges of Carlisle fought between England and Scotland, and two further sieges during the Jacobite risings . After the Jacobite Risings of the 18th century, Cumbria became a more stable place and, as in the rest of Northern England , the Industrial Revolution caused a large growth in urban populations. In particular,
6760-416: The east side of Bassenthwaite Lake . "The A591, Grasmere, Lake District" was short-listed in the 2011 Google Street View awards in the Most Romantic Street category. The A593 and A5084 link the Ambleside and Coniston areas with the A590 to the south whilst the A592 and A5074 similarly link Windermere with the A590. The A592 also continues northwards from Windermere to Ullswater and Penrith by way of
6864-534: The edges of these Ordovician and Silurian rocks on the northern, eastern, and southern fringes of the area is a semi-continuous outcrop of Carboniferous Limestone seen most spectacularly at places like Whitbarrow Scar and Scout Scar . The Lake District's location on the northwest coast of England, coupled with its mountainous geography, makes it the wettest part of England. The UK Met Office reports average annual precipitation of more than 2,000 mm (80 in), but with considerable local variation. Although
6968-452: The entire region receives above-average rainfall, there is a wide disparity between the amounts of rainfall in the western and eastern lakes, as the Lake District experiences relief rainfall . Seathwaite, Borrowdale is the wettest inhabited place in England with an average of 3,300 mm (130 in) of rain a year, while nearby Sprinkling Tarn is even wetter, recording over 5,000 mm (200 in) per year; by contrast, Keswick, at
7072-430: The following most common countries of birth for residents of Cumbria that year: Fell running is a popular sport in Cumbria, with an active calendar of competitions taking place throughout the year. Cumbria is also home to several of the most active orienteering clubs in the UK as well as the Lakes 5 Days competition that takes place every four years. Workington is home to the ball game known as Uppies and Downies,
7176-433: The formation in 1951 of the Lake District National Park , which remains the largest National Park in England and has come to dominate the identity and economy of the county. The Windscale fire of 10 October 1957 was the worst nuclear accident in Great Britain's history. Cumbria was created in 1974 from the traditional counties of Cumberland and Westmorland , the Cumberland County Borough of Carlisle , along with
7280-416: The generally lower southern part of the area. The Lake District extends to the sea to the west and south. The highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike (978 m or 3209 feet), has a far-reaching view on a clear day, ranging from the Galloway Hills of Scotland, the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Snowdonia in Wales. The mountains (or ' fells ') of the Lake District are known as
7384-409: The head of Windermere - Grasmere, Great Langdale and Little Langdale, and the Coniston Water valley. The valleys break the mountains up into blocks, which have been described by various authors in different ways. The most frequently encountered approach is that made popular by Alfred Wainwright who published seven separate area guides to the Lakeland Fells. Only one of the lakes in the Lake District
7488-679: The largest private employer in Cumbria, BAE Systems in Barrow employs around 12,000 with further job growth associated with new contracts expected, the Sellafield nuclear processing site, has a workforce of 10,000. Below is a list of some of the county's largest companies and employers (excluding services such as Cumbria Constabulary , Cumbria Fire and Rescue and the NHS in Cumbria), categorised by district. The largest and most widespread industry
7592-519: The largest settlements are Barrow-in-Furness (56,745), Kendal (29,593), and Whitehaven (23,986). For local government purposes the county comprises two unitary authority areas, Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland . Cumbria was created in 1974 from the historic counties of Cumberland and Westmorland , the Furness area of Lancashire, and a small part of Yorkshire . The interior of Cumbria contains several upland areas which together fringe
7696-794: The latter a cross-county constituency (it had previously been exclusively in Lancashire ). Michelle Scrogham Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are strongest in rural areas, and Labour is strongest in the industrial towns. Although Cumbria has a comprehensive system almost fully, there is one state grammar school in Penrith. There are 42 state secondary schools and 10 independent schools. The more rural secondary schools tend to have sixth forms (although in Barrow-in-Furness district, no schools have sixth forms due to
7800-465: The lower end of Borrowdale , receives 1,470 mm (58 in) every year, and Penrith (just outside the Lake District) only 870 mm (34 in). March to June tend to be the driest months, with October to January the wettest, but at low levels, there is relatively little difference between months. Although there are gales in the sheltered valleys on only five days a year on average,
7904-557: The main towns and villages in the county, with some services running to neighbouring areas such as Lancaster . Stagecoach North West is the largest; it has depots in Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, Kendal and Workington. Stagecoach's flagship X6 route connects Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal in south Cumbria. There are only two airports in the county: Carlisle Lake District and Barrow/Walney Island . Both airports formerly served scheduled passenger flights and both are proposing expansions and renovations to handle domestic and European flights in
8008-760: The most easterly and westerly points of the county. The boundaries are along the Irish Sea to Morecambe Bay in the west, and along the Pennines to the east. Cumbria's northern boundary stretches from the Solway Firth from the Solway Plain eastward along the border with Scotland . Cumbria is bordered by Northumberland , County Durham , North Yorkshire , Lancashire in England, and Dumfries and Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale in Scotland. Many large companies and organisations are based in Cumbria. The county council itself employs around 17,000 individuals, while
8112-519: The most famous being UNESCO World Heritage Site Hadrian's Wall which passes through northern Cumbria. At the end of the period of British history known as Roman Britain ( c. AD 410 ) the inhabitants of Cumbria were Cumbric -speaking native Celtic Britons who were probably descendants of the Brigantes and Carvetii (sometimes considered to be a sub-tribe of the Brigantes) that
8216-564: The mudstones and wackes of the Windermere Supergroup and which includes (successively) the rocks of the Dent, Stockdale, Tranearth, Coniston, and Kendal groups. These are generally a little less resistant to erosion than the sequence of the rock to the north and underlie much of the lower landscapes around Coniston and Windermere. Later intrusions have formed individual outcrops of igneous rock in each of these groups. Around
8320-641: The near future. The nearest international airports to south Cumbria are Blackpool , Manchester , Liverpool John Lennon and Teesside . North Cumbria is closer to Newcastle , Glasgow Prestwick and Glasgow International . Barrow-in-Furness is one of the country's largest shipbuilding centres, but the Port of Barrow is only minor, operated by Associated British Ports alongside the Port of Silloth in Allerdale. There are no ferry links from any port or harbour along
8424-560: The north of England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, traverses the national park from west to east. Bridleways are intended for horse riding and walkers, with cyclists also permitted to use them. Cyclists must give way to all other bridleway users. Motor vehicles are only allowed on "byways open to all traffic" ( green lanes ) but in practice Traffic Regulation Orders have been brought in on several prohibiting motor traffic, although
8528-457: The north of this region are the lower fells of Martindale Common and Bampton Common whilst in the south are the fells overlooking the Kentmere valley. Further to the east, beyond Mardale and Longsleddale is Shap Fell, an extensive area consisting of high moorland , more rolling and Pennine in nature than the mountains to the west. The Southern Fells occupy the southwestern quarter of
8632-460: The north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Carlisle . Cumbria is predominantly rural, with an area of 6,769 km (2,614 sq mi) and a population of 500,012; this makes it the third largest ceremonial county in England by area but the eighth-smallest by population. After Carlisle (74,281),
8736-510: The only professional football teams in Cumbria. Carlisle United attract support from across Cumbria and beyond, with many Cumbrian "ex-pats" travelling to see their games, both home and away. Workington —who are always known locally as "the reds"—are a well-supported non-league team, having been relegated from the Football League in the 1970s. Workington made a rapid rise up the non league ladder and in 2007/08 competed with Barrow in
8840-476: The only sixth form college in Cumbria being located in the town) and this is the same for three schools in Allerdale and South Lakeland, and one in the other districts. Chetwynde is also the only school in Barrow to educate children from nursery all the way to year 11. Colleges of further education in Cumbria include: The University of Cumbria is one of the UK's newest universities, having been established in 2007. It
8944-736: The park boundary. The area was designated a national park on 9 May 1951, a month after the Peak District , the first UK national park. It retained its original boundaries until 2016, when it was extended by 3% to the east, in the direction of the Yorkshire Dales National Park , to incorporate areas land of high landscape value around the Lune Valley . The national park received 18.14 million tourist visitors in 2022. This equates to 29.15 million tourist days, counting visits of greater than three hours. It
9048-490: The park, after two attempts in the 1980s and one in 2012 failed. The park is governed by the Lake District National Park Authority, which is based at offices in Kendal . It runs a visitor centre on Windermere at a former country house called Brockhole , Coniston Boating Centre, and information centres. The park authority has 20 members: six appointed by Westmorland and Furness Council, four by Cumberland Council, and ten by
9152-399: The public has a right of way , all of which are signposted at their origin on public roads and at some other points. Within the area of the National Park in 2012 there were 2,159 km (1,342 mi) of public footpaths , 875 km (544 mi) of public bridleways , 15 km (9 mi) of restricted byways and 30 km (19 mi) of byways open to all traffic . There is also
9256-403: The range at 852 m (2,795 ft), Grisedale Pike and the hills around the valley of Coledale , and in the far northwest is Thornthwaite Forest and Lord's Seat . The fells in this area are rounded Skiddaw slate , with few tarns and relatively few rock faces. The Western Fells lie between Buttermere and Wasdale , with Sty Head forming the apex of a large triangle. Ennerdale bisects
9360-414: The same latitude, ranges from −10 to 19 °C (14 to 66 °F).) The relatively low height of most of the fells means that, while snow is expected during the winter, they can be free of snow at any time of the year. Normally, significant snowfall only occurs between November and April. On average, snow falls on Helvellyn 67 days per year. Snow typically falls on 20 days of the year in the valleys, with
9464-475: The south. South of the estuary, the coast is formed in low cliffs of glacial till , sands, and gravels. The district also extends to the tidal waters of Morecambe Bay and several of its estuaries alongside the Furness and Cartmel Peninsulas , designated on M6 motorway signposts as the "Lake District Peninsulas", and the southern portions of which lie outside the park. These are the Duddon Estuary ,
9568-548: The southern and western fringes of the area. A single railway line, the Windermere Branch Line , penetrates from Kendal to Windermere via Staveley. Railways once served Broughton-in-Furness and Coniston (closed to passengers in 1958) and another ran from Penrith to Cockermouth via Keswick (closed west of Keswick in 1966 and completely in 1972). Part of the track of the latter is used by the improved A66 trunk road. The Cumbrian Coast line has three stations within
9672-567: The southern boundary. The southwestern Lake District ends near the Furness peninsula and Barrow-in-Furness, a town which many Lake District residents rely on for basic amenities. The southeastern area is the territory between Coniston Water and Windermere and east of Windermere towards Kendal and south to Lindale. There are no high summits in this area which are mainly low hills, knolls and limestone cuestas such as Gummer's How and Whitbarrow . Indeed, it rises only as high as 333 m (1,093 ft) at Top o' Selside east of Coniston Water;
9776-598: The southwest. Though it is slightly lower, Scafell has a 700 ft (210 m) rockface, Scafell Crag, on its northern side. This group also includes the Wastwater Screes overlooking Wasdale, the Glaramara ridge overlooking Borrowdale, the three tops of Crinkle Crags , Bowfell and Esk Pike . The core of the area is drained by the infant River Esk . Collectively these are some of the Lake District's most rugged hillsides. The second group, otherwise known as
9880-828: The sovereign, exercises some rights of the Crown in the County Palatine of Lancaster, which includes the Furness area of Cumbria. Until the 2024 general election , there were six parliamentary constituencies in Cumbria: Barrow and Furness , Carlisle , Copeland , Penrith and the Border , Westmorland and Lonsdale , and Workington . Five were won by the Conservative Party in the 2019 United Kingdom general election , with Westmorland and Lonsdale won by
9984-478: The tourism industry which adds £1.1 billion a year to the county's economy. The Lake District and county as a whole attract visitors from across the UK, Europe, North America and the Far East (particularly Japan). The tables below show the twenty most-visited attractions in Cumbria in 2009. (Not all visitor attractions provided data to Cumbria Tourism who collated the list. Notable examples are Furness Abbey ,
10088-419: The two councils submitted an expression of interest to form a combined authority . Between 1974 and 2023 Cumbria was administered by Cumbria County Council and six district councils : Allerdale , Barrow-in-Furness , Carlisle , Copeland , Eden , and South Lakeland . These were abolished on 1 April 2023, when the two unitary authorities were established. The Duchy of Lancaster , the private estate of
10192-546: The valley between this massif and the North Western Fells. The North Western Fells lie between Borrowdale and Bassenthwaite Lake to the east and Buttermere and Lorton Vale to the west. Their southernmost point is at Honister Pass . This area includes the Derwent Fells above the Newlands Valley and hills to the north amongst which are Dale Head , Robinson . To the north stand Grasmoor , highest in
10296-412: The west coast towns of Workington , Millom and Barrow-in-Furness saw large iron and steel mills develop, with Barrow also developing a significant shipbuilding industry. Kendal , Keswick and Carlisle all became mill towns , with textiles, pencils and biscuits among the products manufactured in the region. The early 19th century saw the county gain fame when the Lake Poets and other artists of
10400-641: The west coast up Eskdale as far as Dalegarth Station near the hamlet of Boot, catering for tourists. Another heritage railway , the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway , runs between Lake Windermere and Haverthwaite , and tourists can connect at Lakeside with the boats up the lake to Bowness. A vehicle-carrying cable ferry , the Windermere Ferry , runs frequent services across Windermere. There are also seasonal passenger boats on Coniston Water, Derwent Water, and Ullswater. There are many paths over which
10504-558: The wide expanse of Grizedale Forest stands between the two lakes. Kendal and Morecambe Bay stand at the eastern and southern edges of the area. The main radial valleys are (clockwise from the south) Dunnerdale , Eskdale , Wasdale , Ennerdale , the Vale of Lorton, and Buttermere valley, the Derwent Valley and Borrowdale , the Ullswater valley, Haweswater valley, Longsleddale , the Kentmere valley, those converging on
10608-591: Was a principality in the Kingdom of Scotland at the time of the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and thus was excluded from the Domesday Book survey of 1086. In 1092 the region was invaded by William II and incorporated into England. Nevertheless, the region was dominated by the many Anglo-Scottish Wars of the latter Middle Ages and early modern period and the associated Border Reivers who exploited
10712-607: Was not heavily industrialised and the Lake District became valued for its sublime and picturesque qualities, notably by the Lake Poets . The place names Cumbria and Cumberland both mean "land of the Cumbrians" and are names derived from the term that had been used by the inhabitants of the area to describe themselves. In the period c. 400 – c. 1100 , it is likely that any group of people living in Britain who identified as 'Britons' called themselves by
10816-619: Was previously believed to have formed the core of the Early Middle Ages Brittonic kingdom of Rheged , more recent discoveries near Galloway appear to contradict this. For the rest of the first millennium, Cumbria was contested by several entities who warred over the area, including the Brythonic Celtic Kingdom of Strathclyde and the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria . Most of modern-day Cumbria
#793206