Lake District local living in exile here.
I absolutely love that little singletrack descent, first rooty and rocky, then through the quarry yard and into the clattery loose slate down to Elterwater. If it went or was significantly-changed, I would be gutted. I think my biggest concern would be that they would try to "improve" it, or maybe divert the ROW.
However, the petition text appears to exaggerate the threat. It is not for a theme park. I've been to the equivalent thing in Wales. It has a small carpark, i think two buildings, some low level, small scale, go ape type stuff and then what they call the Fforest coaster, a little sledge on rails. There was no "traffic chaos" near it. We went in the summer holidays and I'd be surprised if there were 100 people in the whole place. This was 2018 I think, so preCOVID etc. It is not exactly Alton Towers.
The writers of the petition do themselves no favours by shrieking about "the thundering theme park rides" and overstating the threat.
"It’s hypocritical to sit there counting your money from living in an area made affluent from tourism"
Tourism doesn't help everyone. My father worked in state education, working at the teacher training college in Ambleside, so it's hard to see that we took any benefit from tourism. I doubt he was paid a "lake district weighting". On the other hand, many things were/are much more expensive, slower, more crowded.
Friends at school in Windermere were the children of farmers, the postman, a policeman, a newsagent etc. They didn't all own hotels, restaurants, bike shops etc. The ordinary people who work in those businesses are hardly raking it in either.
Most people I went to school with have moved away, as did I, as they couldn't afford to stay.
Not everyone in the lakes depends on, or benefits from, tourism.
However, the petition text appears to exaggerate the threat. It is not for a theme park. I’ve been to the equivalent thing in Wales. It has a small carpark, i think two buildings, some low level, small scale, go ape type stuff and then what they call the Fforest coaster, a little sledge on rails. There was no “traffic chaos” near it. We went in the summer holidays and I’d be surprised if there were 100 people in the whole place. This was 2018 I think, so preCOVID etc. It is not exactly Alton Towers.
I was there last summer. There wasn't any traffic chaos at all - in fact I drove straight in with no queue, having barely seen any other cars on the narrow roads leading to it. There were plenty of people inside the centre, and plenty riding at the attached trail centre. When we finished we drove straight out and once again were not confronted by road carnage. The place isn't visible until you drive into it.
Traffic in the Lakes is a major problem, every time I've been on the road between Windermere and Ambleside its been slow unless you travel early / late, especially on a nice day, Keswick gets just as bad between the roundabout near Booth's and Borrowdale road.
I doubt that this will make much impact on what is already a major problem, and measure may be introduced to alleviate some of the traffic problems, but the same issues can be seen in North Wales too, however not at the Zip World sites, more around Ogwen / Pen-Y-Pass where our good old salt of the earth rock climbing / biking / hiking tick-listers are heading.
I go to Langdale a lot as have access to a house there. Traffic is pretty bad but then I am traffic so can't moan about that. Do any people still live in Elterwater or is it mostly holiday homes now. I think the decision should be made by year round residents not us visitors.
I think the car parking should be in Ambleside.
Ambleside doesn't have enough parking as it is! The main P&D carpark is normally full most of the time. Not a lot of room for more cars.
where our good old salt of the earth rock climbing / biking / hiking tick-listers are heading.
Inconsiderate bastards, if only they'd go zip lining instead, I could have Tryfan to myself!
I think the decision should be made by year round residents not us visitors.
Which it will be (and a few nationally appointed non-locals) on the National Park planning committee.
Every time the local planning department in Cambridge turns down something controversial, the secretary of state just intervenes and approves it. Makes a mockery of the local development plan which the council are legally obliged to have and which new developments completely ignore.
Is that “I”, as in Cougar, or “I” as in the title of the film?
Well played. My post sadly wasn't that clever, that was accidental.
That Fforest Coaster looks brilliant. Wish there had been something like that about when by kids were young. No idea if the location is right at Langdale... but the cart on rails thing gets the thumbs up in principle for me, if hidden away.
