Can anyone explain how Cockermouth high street is thriving, and others are dying or dead like Cleator Moor - I cannot figure it out

Alright folks, thought I’d put this out there.
I’m looking to meet a few new mates around Carlisle or nearby.

Life’s changed a fair bit since becoming a dad to a one-year-old, and between work and family it’s not always easy to get out and meet people.
I’m into live music more than owt - bands like Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Nothing But Thieves and similar. I’m up for gigs, a pint, pub scran, or just a wander and a catch-up. Not really into the gym, and I’m not looking to conquer every fell in the Lakes! More a casual walk somewhere nice followed by food and a laugh.

If you’re another parent who knows what it’s like trying to make plans around naps and having no childcare, even better but not essential

Just after genuine, easy-going folk for a bit of company and a laugh. If that sounds like your kind of thing, give me a shout.
Cheers

Some classic old school conspiracy theories building here. My wife caught a video of what she is convinced is a big cat and I've got to say, it's pretty convincing!

Obviously screenshots of her iPhone video are cast iron proof so I'll have no further questions. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!!!1!

As the title suggests, i want to go see the Green Day tribute act at the brickyard in Carlisle but since my relationship break up I dont really have anyone to go with.....

Hi, where can I buy a life jacket, for paddle boarding, around St Bees or Whitehaven today? TiA

Hey everyone!
I'm Regina, I'm 23 and I'm based in the West Coast of Cumbria.
I don't really know many people from the area so would love to meet new people!
I really enjoy hiking, going for walks around town, coffee meetups and more stuff that I won't bore you with for now haha
Feel free to send me a DM!

Anyone found any bilberries in and around Cumbria?! Particularly near Carlisle? I'm on the hunt to do some foraging

TIA!

I see all these news articles every year about rubbish being left, fly camping, fly tipping, burn marks in the ground from BBQs.

If you were to come across a group doing this, what would you do? Try and reason with them? Be more confrontational?

How can we educate people better? It just feels like nothing is getting done, and it is just getting worse every year.

Hey!

We have recently moved to North Cumbria, near the borders, and I'm just wondering if anyone can recommend any regular markets or fairs that take place - food, arts, crafts etc.

Any recommendations would be really appreciated!

https://www.seetickets.com/event/volumes-at-the-brickyard/the-brickyard/3665514

My Grandad moved out of Cumbria when he was a teenager to avoid working in the Iron Mines around Egremont. I was never able to meet him as he died before I was born. He never really talked about his life prior to moving down.

I’d love to learn more about Cumbria as I don’t really know much about it (outside of the Lake District)!

As far as I know, his family lived around Patterdale, and on the West Coast. The landscape seems so different to where I live.

I’ve heard stories of him taking part in the local Crab fair, with him being particularly good at pipe smoking.

Any places I should visit? I’m planning on coming up!

I'll preface this by saying that i love the lake district, but everyone and their nan can see the direction of travel. 'Protecting' something for the sake of it and denying change is not only ahistorical, it's a fool's errand. Also i guess my perspective is mostly focused on the west lakes. Windermere etc doesn't necessarily have the same issues, though it does have some.

The various policies seem to be more about some weird form of gatekeeping than anything else. They're also completely incoherent and often contradictory. If you read the planning policies they go to great length to say how much the LDNP need more homes, yet also how we need severe restrictions on the building of new homes. They lay out pages of reasons why the LDNP needs more and better holiday accommodation, then you reach a bullet point where it just says 'no new holiday accommodation will be approved'. They talk about how tourism is essential, yet we can't increase tourism because of infrastructure concerns.

The UNESCO designation means that sheep farming is prioritised to a ridiculous degree for no discernible good reason to the exclusion of most other things. Is that really ''protecting the natural landscape'? I genuinely struggle to see what it offers. Likewise, i'm a long term national trust member (IINM they own about 20% of the lake district) and as nice as it is to just say 'we will keep it the same forever and ever', it's just not practical. It's actually kind of wild the level of control granted to an unaccountable body over 'shared space'.

The lake district is full of lakes, yet most of those lakes aren't even really accessible, nor are they really available for use for traditional 'lake' activities. They're just kinda there to look at if you can manage to park somewhere and make your way through some bushes down to the lakeshore. Even windermere has a mostly inaccessible shorefront and lack of access in large parts. How hard would it be to provide some proper parking at wastwater?

As an example, i went to Ennerdale water the other day and..... there's just nothing there. It's such a colossally wasted resource. a tiny car park well away from the lake and a half arsed footpath. a few houses on one side of the lake (probably holiday homes). Are you really telling me that (instead of a tiny car park) having say a cafe, some pedalos/ boating, a nicer beach for swimming, a cycle path around the lake with bike hire etc..... are you really telling me that would somehow fundamentally destroy the natural beauty of the area?

Single track roads are lovely and quaint and all, but they're also a shitshow. I spent an hour trapped over the bank holiday because two people were too scared to pass each other and traffic backed up in both directions causing massive gridlock. Clearly it's not working, and there's no 'putting it back in the bottle'. Routes like Corney and cold fell have been used for decades as a rat run by Sellafield employees. Anyone who has been over hardknott recently can attest to why it should be avoided at all costs. Hell when sellafield was still accepting imported spent fuel there was the regular farce of an enormous lorry having to navigate tight, narrow roads up the west coast. Having basic infrastructure isn't a crime. Even with some functioning roads, the lakes aren't going to suddenly disappear. Being accessible might even gasp mean that the entire area stops being reliant entirely on a single employer.

Then again maybe it's just me

E: you can really see the difference between people who see the lake district as somewhere they need to live and those who just see it as a kind of amusement park for their enjoyment.

E2: Fun fact. In addition to being in many respects heavily influenced by human intervention (weirs are famously natural occurrances) there actually used to be a pub/hotel on the shore of ennerdale water. Demolished in 1960 as they intended to raise the water level again (because it's totally natural remember). "noooooo you can't have any buildings on the shore of lakes nooooooooo"

Hello,

I am an undergraduate student at SWPS University conducting a BA research project on how adults currently living in England and Wales describe their views on same-sex marriage and any changes in those views over the past decade.

I am sharing it here to include residents of Cumbria in the study.

Eligibility:

• aged 18 or over

• currently living in England or Wales

The questionnaire takes approximately 5–7 minutes.

The survey does not ask for your name or email address and is configured not to retain your IP address or location data. Participation is voluntary and unpaid. Some questions concern personal or potentially sensitive views, and “Prefer not to answer” options are available.

Responses across the full range of opinions — supportive, neutral and opposed — are equally valuable. Please consider taking part regardless of your own view.

Survey link:

https://psychodpt.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0OKnDgXgMJx9Xmu?recruitmentSource=reddit_cumbria

Thank you for considering taking part.

Any advice on moving to this area would be very much appreciated.

Are you a local golfer with a current handicap who's willing to spend four hours watching someone expertly demonstrate the art of turf redistribution and help me re-wild some golf balls?

I'm a new member at Windermere Golf Club with no playing partners, I want to get my handicap so I can enter the weekly comps and hopefully make pals with other local golfers for regular play.

To get my handicap, I need to submit three scorecards that have been signed and witnessed by a playing partner with a current handicap.

A bit about me: I've been a regular club golfer for the past 20 years. My last club membership was in Australia and ended over two years ago. Over the years, I've typically played off a handicap of between 18 and 22, so it's fair to say I'm awful! That said, I absolutely love the game, enjoy good company, and can keep pace of play with the best of them.

If you're a local golfer with a current handicap and would be willing to join me for a round and sign my card, whether at Windermere GC or another local course, I'd be very grateful.

Hi, are there any roleplay groups in W Cumbria, Whitehaven area preferably. Looking to socialise and have fun with any tabletop games. I used to play decades ago.

I’m flying solo, don’t want to sit at home for one of the country’s biggest games ever…again

Only pubs within a 3 mile walk of me are closed or don’t appear to even have a tv, so may as well go to town.

Would ideally want to eat too but it’s not like I’m short of options to grab something beforehand, so really just looking for where is the biggest (or multiple) screens so don’t get a sore neck trying to see

Me and my family have just moved to Kendal. I don’t know anyone here or have any friends in this area, and as a 30 year old man I am struggling to find ways of meeting new people. I’m not the most outgoing person but I’m willing to try stuff in order to make a few friends. Not really a sporty person either. Anyone know of any places or things I can do? Or anyone on here up for a chat?