General Chat

Hilly or not Maggie it's still a lovely area :-D

as for the thread going off topic...who cares people are still "talking" that's all that matters :-)

As I've got older, I've found I prefer flat land! :-D

Shame I live in Winchester, which is, essentially, a bowl with high sides - and I live on a high side - work is another high side of the bowl :-(

You would have loved the Dandenongs then, Allan. I am not sure as I have not seen any news today but I think they are fire-free at the moment unlike the Blue Mountains which you would have thoroughly enjoyed but, sadly, are afire.

My OH would agree with your choice, by the way.

Sorry, JoyLouise, but give me rugged, mountainous areas every time. Tas is wonderful for that and here in WA the Stirling Ranges /Porongurup's is an adequate substitute although the area is currently closed due to bush fires.

I suppose that those school Easter holidays spent in the LD helped shape my later ideas :-D

Sorry, AnninGlos but the Lakes are not for me. Had family living there; got family buried there and I've stayed in both north and south but I prefer flatlands.

My OH did a lot of walking years ago and would visit around six times a year with his walking group. In between, the two of us would visit for the day as we don't live too far so we have seen a lot of the whole area not just the dark satanic hills I used poetic licence to describe. I have also stayed for longer than a day both in hotels and in our caravan that we had when the children were young.

OH prefers hills but compromise is the name of the game and he would happily visit places that I like such as certain parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex that I much prefer.

When we lived in Oz it was completely flat for miles around which was wonderful to me. Each to his own but gIve me 'A land of sweeping plains' every time. :-D

No, the thread has gone off- topic, as all good threads do (guilty) :-D

But imagine how many houses could be built on the LD, whilst thousands of already empty houses exist! :-D

All true Maggie but would that help people enjoy the Lake District :-D :-D :-D

Shame they haven't tackled the number of houses that have stood empty - and deteriorating for in the UK.
Over 200,000 dwellings have been vacant for 6 months or more in the UK.
More than 11,000 homes across the UK have been empty for 10 years or more.
More than 20,000 commercial properties in the capital have been empty for at least six months, with 11,000 of those vacant for two years.

It's all the new houses creating extra demand :-D :-D

....but then 'they' go on about water shortages :-|

I wouldn't be buying there then :-D

Quite a few reservoirs in the UK have been filled in - and houses built on them :-S

Well, they could always flatten the hills in the north of the LD so that JoyLouise can enjoy her uninterrupted views ;-) :-D :-D

Of course such a move may wreak havoc on the radial drainage that is a major environmental factor of the entire region, but on the plus side, the rains would cease and the sun would shine.

A few cities may lose their sources of drinking water, but then with climate change these may have dried up anyway! :-P

Now before the baying mob rush at me with pitchforks and scythes, baying for blood, the above was written with my tongue firmly in my cheek :-D :-D :-D :-D

Joy Louise not sure you have been to the right places. The LD is a place of two different halves really. The Northern Lakes where your dark satanic hills (the mountains) are and the South, softer lower hills and fells where if you can walk up just a little way suddenly you can see for miles, the far reaching views you like.

Yet more PC stuff. People either wish to visit or dont, tis that simple. Ethnic minorities quite often have different ideas/interests as to where to visit on a day out or on holiday. Plenty of Young people seem to be more interested in the "modern world" so the Lakes has no appeal for them plus they prefer sun to rain. We love the Lakes and would often visit on a day out even tho a round trip of 300 or more miles. Tis a very expensive place when it comes to holiday accommodation as we well know which must surely play a part

Unfortunately in many cases by highlighting only one group for extra funding you often overcompensate that group and don't give funding to another like the schoolboys mentioned. Here, for instance, Universities will give priority to underrepresented groups for research projects and places....so, for instance, medical studies are first offered to ethnic minorities students...and yet most students are ethnic minorities.

I read this, too, Caroline; how the Lakes weren't ethnic enough; the article also mentioned wheelchair access etc.

This subject was lumped together in an article explaining how two independent schools have refused to accept a monetary offer to educate two poor white boys yet Cambridge Uni has accepted money to help educate black students exclusively.

It baffles me when educators know that the most persistent group of under-achievers is that of white boys. The only thing that springs to mind is that independent schools usually have a number of black pupils from very wealthy families so are they afraid that they will suffer loss of income because these parents will not send their children to schools that accept offers of help to poor white boys?

I am not baffled and can certainly understand about better access for all to the Lake District and I hope this can be achieved.

As far as I am concerned, the Lakes are not for me. I go because my OH loves the district but all the time I am (occasionally) there, in the back of my mind are those dark satanic hills (not mills) casting darkness everywhere and spoiling the miles-long, far-reaching views that I really really like.

Part of the attraction of the Lake District is the natural beauty and the absence of too much noise so that the peace of the countryside, the sound of the birds etc can be enjoyed. There are places where 4x4s would be out of place and hopefully roads won’t be built there. But there are also I am sure areas such as disused quarries and other industrial areas that could absorb tracks for off roaming but do they really need to be tarmaced? Surely that defeats the object.. I know there are areas in the north of the lakes for instance where there are activity places with zip wires etc. I think this is one way of encouraging youngsters and those who want more adventure than mountain climbing, rock climbing abseiling etc using nature to further adventure.

only if you're stupid :-)

They don't do it twice!