Sir, The Lake District National Park wants to encourage more urban young people, disabled people and ethnic minorities to enjoy the Lake District.

As you point out in your Comment column (Gazette Comment, January 7, Mishandled move needs a rethink'), a lack of motivation can be a factor with some young people, and there are other barriers, including cultural attitudes, to be surmounted by other groups.

However, skilled and sensitive leadership can help to motivate and to break down these barriers.

Cumbria contains perhaps the greatest concentration in the world of outdoor education and development training centres, and many of these are working successfully with such groups.

These centres include charitable trusts such as Brathay Hall at Ambleside, local authority centres such as Manchester's Ghyll Head centre near Windermere, and some specialising in working with disabled people, such as Bendrigg Lodge near Kendal.

Not only do these centres introduce people to the Lake District, they also provide powerful opportunities for learning and personal development. The Institute for Outdoor Learning, whose national office is near Penrith, recently launched a professional accreditation scheme designed to support the development of excellent practice in outdoor leaders. This scheme will be piloted in Cumbria with the support of Rural Regeneration Cumbria.

Perhaps the National Park should use its resources to support these organisations to work with the targeted groups, who are less likely to turn up as individuals for guided walks?

Steve Lenartowicz Youth Development Director Brathay Hall Trust n Sir, Friends in the Lake District have sent us a copy of the report of your interview with Mr Tiplady relating to the Lake District National Park Authority's recent prop-osals to drop its events programme.

As former Windermere residents we have a very strong aff-ection for the Lake District itself, and its people in par-ticular, who have always shown us the greatest courtesy and kindness.

We strongly feel that the attitude of the LDNPA in its proposals is a high handed and deliberate insult to people like us who have enjoyed and supported the Lake District for so many years.

Our immediate reaction was to say that if we are not wanted then we should abandon our visits.

On further consideration, we feel that our love for the area and respect and gratitude, which we feel for the people, is more important than the crass behaviour of the LDNPA and its pompous officials.

We suggest that the LDNPA should be abolished and its functions passed to the people of the Lake District who love and respect the area and welcome its visitors.

We are very happy to support your campaign in any way that we can.

Brian W. Davey Mary I. Davey Easterton, Wiltshire n Sir, I took part in 26 of the Lake District National Park Authority's guided walks in 2004 and recorded a total of 398 members of the public attending these walks, an average of 15+ per walk.

I find it hard to believe that the walks cost the authority £8.30 per head, especially as the majority of people taking part are often paying £4 to £6 per day for the privilege of parking their cars in national park car parks while walking.

Most people I have met would be willing to pay a small amount for taking part in the walks if necessary.

Janet Sedgwick Clitheroe