Lakes and Dales Horseback Rambler

I am normally a person who does everything by the book, but I do develop strong views if I believe something is not quite right. If your an equestrian the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail (K2T) is one of these places as horses are not allowed on the trail. On 22 March 2024 we decided to ride the Keswick to Threkeld Railway Trail after discussing the matter with other rights of way experts and decided that this is the only way forward to get equestrians access. A few of us from Cumbria Bridleway Society have been campaigning for over 5 years to get equestrians access to K2T. After many letters, emails, meetings, reports (on both sides) we still do not have a genuine reason from the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) as to why equestrians cannot be included on K2T. The LDNPA is the principal landowner of K2T and therefore in my mind this is public land. The upgraded trail cost nearly £8 million pounds of public money and the aim of the grant money was to get Vulnerable Road ...

I have just returned from the annual family hostelling trip in the Lake District. No horses involved this time but leading a group of 17 people aging from 6 through to their 70s it could be classed as quite a feet getting this tribe from place to place in one peace! With the Youth Hostels Association for England and Wales (YHA) sadly being forced this year to sell some of their hostels I though I would outline why these places are cherished by so many and how we do hostelling. In a recent Guardian article John Harris described Youth Hostels as ' muddy, joyful miracles. Losing them to Brexit and the cost of living would be a tragedy ' ( https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/30/youth-hostels-brexit-cost-of-living-sell-off  ).  Before I met my husband I did not really know much about YHA, but when our children and their cousins started to be able to walk a bit of distance around the age of 3/4 years Grandma announced that we should all go You...