Following the success of a similar study programme in 2022, Hidden Lakeland and The Lake District Foundation have partnered a second time to offer Japanese university students a taste of the Lake District and Cumbria.
Students from Tokyo University spent the first two weeks studying aspects of sustainability, in particular the extent to which tourism can be truly sustainable, across various venues in the Lake District National Park and nearby.
Culminating in preparation of local ingredients to local recipes alongside English Lakes Hotels apprentice chefs at Kendal College, the programme also saw the students spend a day at the Westmorland County Show, learning from Kendal College agriculture lecturer Richard Gardiner, Friends of the Lake District planning officer Lorayne Woodend-Wall, and the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnerhip’s Helen Moriarty. They also sampled no end of local produce – the sheep’s milk ice-cream proving particularly popular – and observed a number of the events, ending with the Grand Parade.
Classroom sessions and workshops provided context and discussion points for their experiences, the vast majority of which were outdoors. Prof Tim Heap, Dr Demos Parapanos and doctoral student Delia Moisa from the Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership, University of Cumbria, introduced tourism economics and behaviour and Emeritus Professor Lois Mansfield talked about local farming systems and farm diversification. The contribution of the Romantic movement to early tourism was illustrated in a workshop at Wordsworth Grasmere led by the Trust’s curator, Jeff Cowton. Helen Watson-Moriarty, project officer for Kendal Town Council, introduced strategies to reimagine and rethink tourism destinations alongside community-led approaches to address climate change in the town. And the pressing issue of water quality was highlighted in a workshop and Windermere water catchment walk-and-talk, led by the Lake District Foundation’s CEO Sarah Swindley and fundraising officer Steve Tonkin.
Out in the sunshine, how the concept of a Cultural Landscape is key to the designation of the English Lake District National Park as a UNESCO world heritage site was brought to life in Great Langdale by Alex McCoskrie, General Manager of World Heritage UK. Emeritus Professor Chris Loynes introduced landscape recovery measures to increase biodiversity, prevent soil erosion and improve natural carbon sinks to balance out the impacts of sheep grazing and recreation on Glenridding Common over the course of a day-long walk-and-talk on the slopes of mighty Helvellyn. Context and fascinating insights on biodiversity restoration attempts were provided also by conservation officer Isaac Johnston of the John Muir Trust.
Other iconic tourist locations including Claithe Viewing Station, Hill Top Farm, Bowness, Waterhead and Grasmere all featured in the course programme, in each case accessed by public transport – by bus, ferry, boat – on foot, or a combination of all of these. Off the beaten track for international visitors but vitally important in terms of efforts to maintain and restore ancient woodlands was a visit to Great How hosted by Cumbria Woodlands, Thirlmere, led by forester, farmer and furniture maker, Jamie Chaplin-Brice, during which the students learned just what our trees do for us, in terms of sequestering carbon, preventing soil erosion, improving water quality and fostering biodiversity and well-being.
A wrap-up workshop was hosted by Cumbria Tourism in Staveley during which the students had the opportunity to present their thoughts to Gemma Procter, Cumbria Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Officer, and Emma Moody, Lead Strategy Adviser on Recreation and Sustainable Transport for the Lake District National Park. Naturally, transport was near the top of the list as the students had arrived in the UK during two days of rail strikes but coped well with convoluted journeys to the Lake District from London and Manchester. They also had plenty to say on challenges such as litter and congestion, while tendering recommendations, such as extending the Lake District’s offer to international students through language study services as well as programmes like this one and finding ways to better reach and inform visitors to the Lakes and influence tourist behaviours. Throughout, the students were delighted with the full and frank discussion engendered by their remarks and questions, coming away with new perspectives and solutions to some of the challenges they had identified as well as new avenues for further study.
Thank you to the University of Cumbria in Ambleside for providing us all with a beautiful and welcoming base for the first ten days of the programme and to Cumbria Tourism, Kendal Town Council and Kendal College for hosting us during the last three days of the programme. Special thanks also to Sarah Swindley, Steve Tonkin and Pam Purcell of the Lake District Foundation – partnering organisation for this adventure – and to all the wonderful guest lecturers, site host visits and guides whose expertise and passion made the second Hidden Lakeland study tour programme for Tokyo University GEfIL students a great success. Kokoro kara kansha itashimasu.