'Unsightly saplings' to be cut in fight to save Lake District view

The vantage point from Hammarbank Car Park in Bowness was mentioned by one of the first feminist sociologists, Harriet Martineau, in her book - A Complete Guide to the English Lakes in 1855.

The view is located from a car park just outside Windermere on the A592 (Rayrigg Road) close to Cook’s Corner roundabout.

Local residents have been fighting to save the view, including Jonathan Ward who wrote to the Trees and Woodland Officer at Lake District National Park Authority just over two years ago to try and get the trees removed. 

He felt the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) had 'stubbornly' refused to remove the saplings from the spectacular view which is one of the most accessible views in the region to everyone, including disabled people.

The viewpoint is mentioned as one of the Lake District National Park Authority’s ‘Miles without Stiles’ views for those with limited mobility, along with a few other viewpoints around the area.

The authority promised in September to trim the trees which would open up the space and restore much of the iconic Hammarbank view point.

Local residents wished for this to be done in time for the summer when the foliage is most out of control.

A spokesperson for the Lake District National Park Authority said: "This relates to an important area of woodland beside one of our car parks, a woodland which is protected by a tree preservation order.

"We have applied for and recently been granted permission to coppice one hazel and three goat willow trees close to the car park wall. We will now engage with a qualified tree surgeon to complete this work as part of our routine property maintenance programme."

Professor John Wilson, of Windermere Estate, Ellerey, who was acquainted with poet William Wordsworth, described the view as 'a terrace to which there was nothing to compare in the hanging gardens of Babylon.'