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106-1026: The Teesdale Way is a long-distance walk between the Cumbrian Pennines and the North Sea coast of North Yorkshire in England . The walk is 100 miles (160 km) in length; it links in with other long-distance walks such as the Pennine Way and the E2 European Walk between Harwich and Stranraer . The Teesdale way starts at Dufton in Cumbria as part of the Pennine way, but does not become its own path (with waymarkers) until it reaches Middleton-in-Teesdale. The path ends at South Gare in Warrenby near Redcar , having passed through

212-498: 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,

318-680: 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

424-672: A series of geological structures whose overall form is a broad anticline whose axis extends in a north–south direction. The North Pennines are coincident with the Alston Block and the Yorkshire Dales are coincident with the Askrigg Block . In the south the Peak District is essentially a flat-topped dome. Each of the structures consists of Carboniferous limestone overlain with Millstone Grit . The limestone

530-603: 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

636-558: 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

742-794: 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

848-472: 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

954-785: Is bordered by the foothills of the Lake District , and uplands of the Howgill Fells, Orton Fells, Border Moors and Cheviot Hills. The West Pennine Moors, Rossendale Valley and Forest of Bowland are western spurs, the former two are in the South Pennines. The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells are sometimes considered to be part of the Pennines, both inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Pennines are fringed by extensive lowlands including

1060-742: Is exposed at the surface in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District. In the Dales and the White Peak , limestone exposure has caused the formation of large cave systems and watercourses. In the Dales the caves or potholes are known as "pots" in the Yorkshire dialect . They include some of the largest caves in England at Gaping Gill , more than 350 ft (107 m) deep and Rowten Pot , 365 ft (111 m) deep. Titan in

1166-411: 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

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1272-456: Is sparsely populated by English standards. Larger population centres are in the foothills and lowlands fringing the southern Pennine range, such as Barnsley , Chesterfield , Halifax , Huddersfield , Macclesfield , Oldham , Bury , Rochdale , Middleton , and Stockport but most of the northern Pennine range is thinly populated. The cities of Bradford , Derby , Leeds , Manchester , Sheffield , Stoke-on-Trent and Wakefield are also in

1378-531: Is the most important mineral quarried, mainly for roads and cement, while other extracted materials include shale for cement and gritstone for building stone. The springs at Buxton and Ashbourne are exploited to produce bottled mineral water and there are approximately 2,700 farms in the National Park. The South Pennines are predominantly industrial, with the main industries including textiles, quarrying and mining, while other economic activities within

1484-522: 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

1590-952: Is usually taken to derive from some form of Celtic pen or ben ("mountain, head"). Various towns and geographical features within the Pennines have names of Celtic origin, including Pennington , Penrith , Pen-y-ghent , Pendle Hill , the River Eden , and Cumbria . More commonly, local names result from Anglo-Saxon and Norse settlements. In Yorkshire, Teesdale , and Cumbria, many words of Norse origin, not commonly used in standard English, are part of everyday speech: for example, gill/ghyll (narrow steep valley), beck (brook or stream), fell (hill), and dale (valley). Northumbrian/borders terms are used in South Tynedale, Weardale , and Allendale , such as burn (stream), cleugh (ravine), hope (valley), law (hill) and linn (waterfall). The northern Pennine range

1696-692: The A684 road from Sedbergh to Hawes via Garsdale Head which reaches 1,100 feet (340 m). Further south the A58 road traverses the Calder Valley between West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester reaching 1,282 feet (391 m) between Littleborough and Ripponden , while the A646 road along the Calder Valley between Burnley and Halifax reaches 764 feet (233 m) following valley floors. In

1802-819: 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

1908-468: The Dark Peak with moorlands and gritstone edges, and the White Peak with limestone gorges. The South Pennines is an area of hills and moorlands with narrow valleys between the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. Bowland is dominated by a central upland landform of deeply incised gritstone fells covered with tracts of heather-covered peat moorland, blanket bog and steep-sided wooded valleys linking

2014-734: The Eden Valley , West Lancashire Coastal Plain , Cheshire Plain , Vale of York , Humberhead Levels and the Midland Plains . The main range of the Pennines start from its southern end at the Weaver Hills in the Peak District. The southern foothills of the range merge into the valley and basin of the River Trent , separating the range from the Midland Plains to the south. The Pennines continue northwards across

2120-642: 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

2226-564: The Industrial Revolution cross the range: The first of three Woodhead Tunnels was completed by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1845, engineered by Charles Vignoles and Joseph Locke . At the time of its completion in 1845, Woodhead 1 was one of the world's longest railway tunnels at a length of 3 miles 13 yards (4,840 m); it was the first of several trans-Pennine tunnels including

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2332-545: 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

2438-700: The Mersey (including the Irwell , Tame and Goyt ) flow westwards towards the Irish Sea . On the eastern side of the Pennines, the rivers Tyne , Wear , and Tees all drain directly to the North Sea . The Swale , Ure , Nidd , Wharfe , Aire , Calder and Don all flow into the Yorkshire Ouse , and reach the sea through the Humber Estuary . The River Trent flows around the southern end of

2544-714: The Midland Railway built the Settle-Carlisle Line through remote, scenic regions of the Pennines from near Settle to Carlisle passing Appleby-in-Westmorland and other settlements, some a distance from their stations. The line has survived, despite difficult times and is operated by Northern Rail. The Trans Pennine Trail , a long-distance route for cyclists, horse riders and walkers, runs west–east alongside rivers and canals, along disused railway tracks and through historic towns and cities from Southport to Hornsea (207 miles/333 km). It crosses

2650-832: 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

2756-731: The National Park . The main economic activities in the North Pennines include tourism, farming, timber and small-scale quarrying, due to the rural landscape. Gaps that allow west–east communication across the Pennines include the Tyne Gap between the Pennines and the Cheviots, through which the A69 road and Tyne Valley railway link Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne . The A66 road , its summit at 1,450 feet (440 m), follows

2862-589: The Northumberland National Park (9) sometimes also included. The North Pennines AONB just north of the Yorkshire Dales rivals the national park in size and includes some of the Pennines' highest peaks and its most isolated and sparsely populated areas. Other AONBs are Nidderdale east of the Yorkshire Dales, and the Bowland Fells , including Pendle Hill , west of the Yorkshire Dales. The language used in pre-Roman and Roman times

2968-598: 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

3074-490: The Peak District National Park . The only significant unprotected gap is the area between Skipton and Marsden . Britain's oldest long-distance footpath , the 268-mile (429 km) Pennine Way , runs along most of the Pennines. Various etymologies have proposed treating "Pennine" as a native Brittonic /Modern Welsh name related to pen- ("head"). It did not become a common name until

3180-782: The Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills , are a range of uplands mainly located in Northern England . Commonly described as the " backbone of England" because of its length and position, the range runs from Derbyshire and Staffordshire in the north of the Midlands to Northumberland in North East England . From the Tyne Gap in the north, the range extends south through the North Pennines , Yorkshire Dales , South Pennines , and Peak District to end near

3286-668: 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

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3392-584: 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

3498-724: 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

3604-407: 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

3710-455: The Standedge and Totley tunnels, which are only slightly longer. The first two tunnels were replaced by Woodhead 3, which was longer at 3 miles 66 yards (4860m). It was bored for the overhead electrification of the route and completed in 1953. The tunnel was opened by the transport minister Alan Lennox-Boyd on 3 June 1954. It was designed by Sir William Halcrow & Partners. The line

3816-428: 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

3922-413: 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

4028-420: The 1740s and accepted as genuine until the 1840s. In 2004, George Redmonds reassessed this, finding that numerous respected writers passed over the origin of the mountains' name in silence even in works dedicated to the topological etymology of Derbyshire and Lancashire . He found that the derivation from Bertram was widely believed and considered uncomfortable. In fact, Redmonds found repeated comparisons with

4134-411: The 18th century and almost certainly derives from modern comparisons with the Apennine Mountains , which run down the middle of Italy in a similar fashion. Following an 1853 article by Arthur Hussey, it has become a common belief that the name derives from a passage in The Description of Britain ( Latin : De Situ Britanniæ ), an infamous historical forgery concocted by Charles Bertram in

4240-484: 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

4346-410: The Anglo-Saxons travelled through the valleys. During the Dark Ages the Pennines were controlled by Celtic and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. It is believed that the north Pennines were under the control of the kingdom of Rheged . During Norse times the Pennines were settled by Viking Danes in the east and Norwegian Vikings in the west. The Vikings influenced place names, culture and genetics. When England

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4452-479: The Border Moors and Cheviot Hills, separated by the Tyne Gap and Whin Sill , along which run the A69 and Hadrian's Wall , are not part of the Pennines but, perhaps because the Pennine Way crosses them, they are treated as such. Most of the Pennine landscape is characterised by upland areas of high moorland indented by more fertile river valleys, although the landscape varies in different areas. The Peak District consists of hills, plateaus and valleys, divided into

4558-436: 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

4664-615: 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

4770-408: 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

4876-402: The Forest of Bowland include Ward's Stone 1,841 ft (561 m), Fair Snape Fell 1,710 ft (521 m), and Hawthornthwaite Fell 1,572 ft (479 m). Terrain is lower towards the south and the only peaks which exceed 2,000 ft (610 m) are Kinder Scout 2,087 ft (636 m) and Bleaklow 2,077 ft (633 m) in the Peak District. Other principal peaks in

4982-403: The Forest of Bowland to the southwest. The main range then continues northwards across the Yorkshire Dales to the Stainmore Gap where it adjoins the North Pennines. The range continues into its northern end at the Tyne Gap , separating it from the Border Moors and Cheviot Hills across the Anglo-Scottish border . Although the Pennines cover the area between the Peak District and the Tyne Gap,

5088-403: The Italian Apennines going back at least as early as William Camden (1551–1623) , many of whose placenames and ideas Bertram incorporated into his work. Bertram was responsible (at most) with popularizing the name against other contenders such as Daniel Defoe 's "English Andes". His own form of the name was the "Pennine Alps" ( Alpes Peninos ), which today is used for a western section of

5194-430: 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

5300-539: 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

5406-405: The Peak District and adjoin the South Pennines approximately around the Tame Valley , Standedge and Holme Valley . The South Pennines are separated from the Forest of Bowland by the Ribble Valley , and include the Rossendale Valley and West Pennine Moors in the west. The range continues further north into the Aire Gap which separates the Yorkshire Dales from the South Pennines to the south and

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5512-472: The Peak District the A628 Woodhead road links the M67 motorway in Greater Manchester with the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire and Holme Moss is crossed by the A6024 road , whose highest point is near Holme Moss transmitting station between Longdendale and Holmfirth . The Pennines are traversed by the M62 motorway , the highest motorway in England at 1,221 feet (372 m) on Windy Hill near Junction 23. Three trans-Pennine canals built during

5618-435: The Peak District, a notable custom is well dressing , which has its origin in pagan traditions that became Christianised. Flora in the higher Pennines is adapted to moorland and subarctic landscapes and climates. The flora found there can be found in other areas of moorland in Northern Europe and some species are also found in areas of tundra . In the Pennine millstone grit areas above an altitude of 900 feet (270 m)

5724-403: The Peak District, the deepest shaft known in Britain, is connected to Peak Cavern in Castleton, Derbyshire , the largest cave entrance in the country. Erosion of the limestone has led to geological formations, such as the limestone pavements at Malham Cove . Between the northern and southern areas of exposed limestone between Skipton and the Dark Peak is a belt of exposed gritstone. Here

5830-466: The Pennine Way affects perceptions of the southern and northern extents of the defined area. The southern end of the Pennines is said to be in the High Peak of Derbyshire at Edale , the start of the Pennine Way, but the main range continues south across the Peak District to the Weaver Hills, with its foothills merging into the Trent Valley. This encompasses eastern Cheshire , northern and eastern Staffordshire , and southern Derbyshire. Conversely,

5936-423: The Pennines and northwards on the eastern side taking water from tributaries, principally the Dove and Derwent . The Trent drains the east and west sides of the southern Pennines, also reaching the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. The Trent and Ouse meet and enter the Humber at Trent Falls . Maximum discharge through the Humber can reach 1,500 m /s (53,000 cu ft/s). According to the Köppen classification ,

6042-442: The Pennines generally have a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) like the rest of England, but the uplands have more precipitation, stronger winds and colder weather than the surrounding areas. Some of the higher elevations have a subpolar oceanic climate ( Cfc ), which may border a tundra ( ET ) and subarctic climate ( Dfc ) in areas like Great Dun Fell . More snow falls on the Pennines than on surrounding lowland areas due to

6148-751: The Pennines longer than it did in the surrounding areas of England. Eventually, the Celtic tongue of the Pennines was replaced by early English as Anglo-Saxons and Vikings settled the area and assimilated the Celts. During the Viking Age Scandinavian settlers brought their language, Old Norse . The fusion of Norse influences into Old English was important in the formation of Middle English and hence Modern English, and many individual words of Norse descent remain in use in local dialects, such as that of Yorkshire , and in local place names. The folklore and customs are mostly based on Celtic , Anglo-Saxon and Viking customs and folklore. Many customs and stories have their origin in Christianised pagan traditions. In

6254-469: The South Pennines and Peak District include Black Hill 1,909 ft (582 m), Shining Tor 1,834 ft (559 m), Pendle Hill 1,827 ft (557 m), Black Chew Head 1,778 ft (542 m), Rombalds Moor 1,319 ft (402 m) and Winter Hill 1,496 ft (456 m). For much of their length the Pennines are the main watershed in northern England, dividing east and west. The rivers Eden , Ribble , Dane and tributaries of

6360-437: The South Pennines include tourism and farming. Although the Forest of Bowland is mostly rural, the main economic activities in the area include farming and tourism. In the Yorkshire Dales , tourism accounts for £350 million of expenditure every year while employment is mostly dominated by farming, accommodation and food sectors. There are also significant challenges for managing tourism, farming and other developments within

6466-420: The botanical conservation charity Plantlife , and are nationally important for their wildflowers. Fauna in the Pennines is similar to the rest of England and Wales , but the area hosts some specialised species. Deer are found throughout the Pennines and some species of animals that are rare elsewhere in England can be found here. Arctic hares , which were common in Britain during the Ice Age and retreated to

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6572-506: The continental Alps . Those mountains (the area around the St. Bernard Pass ) derive their name from the Latin Alpes Pœninæ whose name has been variously derived from the Carthaginians , a local god, and Celtic peninus . The St. Bernard Pass was the pass used in the invasions of Italy by the Gallic Boii and Lingones in 390 BC. The etymology of the Apennines themselves—whose name first referred to their northern extremity and then later spread southward—is also disputed but

6678-425: The cooler, more tundra-like uplands once the climate warmed up, were introduced to the Dark Peak area of the Peak District in the 19th century. 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 the north, Northumberland and County Durham to

6784-486: 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

6890-414: 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,

6996-428: The course of a Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith through the Stainmore Gap between the Eden Valley in Cumbria and Teesdale in County Durham. The Aire Gap links Lancashire and Yorkshire via the valleys of the Aire and Ribble . Other high-level roads include Buttertubs Pass , named from limestone potholes near its 1,729-foot (527 m) summit, between Hawes in Wensleydale and Swaledale and

7102-617: The dale, back to Barnard Castle. Thornaby and Bassleton woods are connected to each other. They are located in Thornaby, in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees . A 4-mile (6.4 km) section of the way between Middlesbrough and Redcar was known locally as 'The Black Path' and was used by steelworkers. At 17 acres (6.9 ha), Thornaby Woods is a large area of ancient woodland and features trees such as oak , elm and wych-elm . Roe deer have been seen in and around Thornaby and Bassleton woods. Pennines The Pennines ( / ˈ p ɛ n aɪ n z / ), also known as

7208-442: The dales with mostly pine, elm, lime and oak. On the limestone soils the oak was slower to colonize and pine and birch predominated. Around 3000 BC a noticeable decline in tree pollen indicates that neolithic farmers were clearing woodland to increase grazing for domestic livestock, and studies at Linton Mires and Eshton Tarn find an increase in grassland species. On poorly drained impermeable areas of millstone grit, shale or clays

7314-400: 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,

7420-409: 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),

7526-491: The elevation and distance from the coast; unlike lowland areas of England, the Pennines can have quite severe winters. The northwest is amongst the wettest regions of England and much of the rain falls on the Pennines. The eastern side is drier than the west—the rain shadow shields northeast England from rainfall that would otherwise fall there. Precipitation is important for the area's biodiversity and human population. Many towns and cities are located along rivers flowing from

7632-530: 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,

7738-655: 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

7844-652: The head streams of the river valleys. Most of the range is protected by national parks and national landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty ). Running north to south, and including the Cheviots, the range is within Northumberland National Park , the North Pennines National Landscape, the Yorkshire Dales National Park , Nidderdale National Landscape , the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and

7950-525: The heavily industrialised Teesside area, consisting of Middlesbrough , Stockton-on-Tees and Thornaby-on-Tees . This gives a great insight into the once proud ship building and industrial heritage of the North East . Between Middleton-in-Teesdale and Middlesbrough, the way runs for 67 miles (108 km) jointly with the European E2 path. Between Yarm and Croft-on-Tees the river goes through

8056-679: 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

8162-519: 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

8268-794: 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

8374-557: 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

8480-529: The meandering lowland section of the Tees Valley . As the river flows through Upper Teesdale , it passes through the historic settlements of Piercebridge and Barnard Castle . The route can also be seen as starting at the county boundaries between Cumbria and County Durham near to Cow Green Reservoir. Also in Upper Teesdale the walk makes a U-turn at Eggleston Hall, heading down the other side of

8586-704: 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

8692-519: 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

8798-584: The mountainous terrain in the north. The highest point is Cross Fell in eastern Cumbria, at 2,930 feet (893 m) and other principal peaks in the North Pennines are Great Dun Fell 2,782 ft (848 m), Mickle Fell 2,585 ft (788 m), and Burnhope Seat 2,451 ft (747 m). Principal peaks in the Yorkshire Dales include Whernside 2,415 ft (736 m), Ingleborough 2,372 ft (723 m), High Seat 2,328 ft (710 m), Wild Boar Fell 2,324 ft (708 m) and Pen-y-ghent 2,274 ft (693 m). Principal peaks in

8904-641: 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

9010-430: The north–south Pennine Way (268 miles/431 km) at Crowden-in-Longdendale . Considerable areas of the Pennines are protected as UK national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are afforded much the same protection as national parks. The national parks within the Pennines are the Peak District National Park (1) and the Yorkshire Dales National Park (7) with

9116-510: 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

9222-428: 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

9328-400: The range and in northwest England the lack of natural aquifers is compensated for by reservoirs. Water has carved out limestone landscapes in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Peak District, with gorges and caves present in the Yorkshire Dales and Peak District. In some areas, precipitation has contributed to poor soils, resulting in part in moorland landscapes that characterize much of

9434-498: The range. In other areas where the soil has not been degraded, it has resulted in lush vegetation. For the purpose of growing plants, the Pennines are in hardiness zones 7 and 8, as defined by the USDA . Zone 8 is common throughout most of the UK, and zone 7 is the UK's coldest hardiness zone. The Pennines, Scottish Highlands , Southern Uplands and Snowdonia are the only areas of the UK in zone 7. The Pennines have been carved from

9540-488: The shales and sandstones of the Millstone Grit form high hills occupied by moorland covered with bracken , peat , heather and coarse grasses; the higher ground is uncultivable and barely fit for pasture. The Pennines contained Bronze Age settlements, and evidence remains of Neolithic settlement including many stone circles and henges , such as Long Meg and Her Daughters . The uplands were controlled by

9646-828: 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

9752-709: The surrounding foothills and lowlands. The Pennines contain the highest village in the United Kingdom, Flash , at 1,519 feet (463 m), near the southern end of the range in Staffordshire . The main economic activities in the Pennines include sheep farming , quarrying , finance and tourism . In the Peak District , tourism is the major local employment for park residents (24%), with manufacturing industries (19%) and quarrying (12%) also being important while 12% are employed in agriculture. Limestone

9858-488: The topsoil gets waterlogged in winter and spring. Here tree suppression combined with the heavier rainfall results in blanket bog up to 7 ft (2 m) thick. The erosion of peat still exposes stumps of ancient trees. "In digging it away they frequently find vast fir trees, perfectly sound, and some oaks ..." Limestone areas of the Pennines in the White Peak , Yorkshire Dales and Upper Teesdale have been designated as nature reserves or Important Plant Areas by

9964-518: The topsoil is so acidic, pH 2 to 4, that it can grow only bracken , heather , sphagnum , and coarse grasses such as cottongrass , purple moor grass and heath rush . As the Ice age glacial sheets retreated c. 11,500 BC trees returned and archaeological palynology can identify their species. The first trees to settle were willow, birch and juniper, followed later by alder and pine. By 6500 BC temperatures were warmer and woodlands covered 90% of

10070-478: 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 ,

10176-536: The tribal federation of the Brigantes , made up of small tribes who inhabited the area and cooperated on defence and external affairs. They evolved an early form of kingdom. During Roman times , the Brigantes were dominated by the Romans who exploited the Pennines for their natural resources including the wild animals found there. The Pennines were an obstacle for Anglo-Saxon expansion westwards, although it appears

10282-419: 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

10388-404: The upland and lowland landscapes. The landscape is higher and more mountainous in the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines. The Yorkshire Dales are characterised by valleys, moorlands and fells while the North Pennines consist of plateaus, moorlands, fells, edges and valleys, with most of the higher peaks in the west. Rising less than 3,000 feet (900 m), the Pennines are fells , with most of

10494-815: The valley of the River Trent . The Border Moors and Cheviot Hills , which lie beyond the Tyne Gap, are included in some definitions of the range. The range is divided into two by the Aire Gap , a wide pass formed by the valleys of the rivers Aire and Ribble . There are several spurs off the main Pennine range east into Greater Manchester and Lancashire , comprising the Rossendale Fells , West Pennine Moors , and Bowland Fells . The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells in Cumbria are also sometimes considered to be Pennine spurs. The Pennines are an important water catchment area, with numerous reservoirs in

10600-470: 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

10706-644: Was Common Brittonic . During the Early Middle Ages , the Cumbric language developed. Little evidence of Cumbric remains, so it is difficult to ascertain whether or not it was distinct from Old Welsh . The extent of the region in which Cumbric was spoken is also unknown. During Anglo-Saxon times the area was settled by Anglian peoples of Mercia and Northumbria , rather than the Saxon people of Southern England . Celtic speech remained in most areas of

10812-591: 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

10918-621: Was closed in 1981. The London and North Western Railway acquired the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway in 1847 and built a single-line tunnel parallel to the canal tunnel at Standedge with a length of 3 miles, 57 yards (4803 m). Today rail services along the Huddersfield line between Huddersfield and Victoria and Piccadilly stations in Manchester are operated by TransPennine Express and Northern . Between 1869 and 1876

11024-670: 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

11130-619: 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

11236-506: Was unified the Pennines were incorporated. The mix of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Viking heritage resembled much of the rest of northern England and its culture developed alongside its lowland neighbours in northwest and northeast England. The Pennines were not a distinct political polity , but were divided between neighbouring counties in northeast and northwest England; a major part was in the West Riding of Yorkshire . The Pennine region

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