Cumbria has some of the finest landscapes in England. These are valued nationally, regionally and locally. Our landscapes have great contrast and diversity. They range from the unique 'scenic' landscapes of the lakes, to dramatic moorland, gentle lowlands, valleys and coastal plains.
Much of the landscape character is influenced by the underlying geology, glaciation and human activity. Together, these have shaped the countryside scenery and created the landscapes we value and enjoy today.
Landscapes are by nature dynamic. They have changed throughout the centuries and will continue to change. Policies and guidance seek to manage change and leave distinctive and high quality landscapes for future generations to benefit from.
What we do
We work with the local authorities, including the National Park Authorities, and many other groups and organisations to make sure we know:
- what makes our landscapes distinctive
- why our landscapes are important
- how we can manage and enhance their features
- how new development can respect the landscape quality
The Cumbria Landscape Character Guidance and Toolkit helps us to do this.
The Cumbria Landscape Character Guidance and Toolkit maps
The Cumbria Landscape Character Guidance and Toolkit maps describes the character of different landscape types across the county. It provides guidance to help maintain their distinctiveness.
Download part 1, which shows maps and describes the landscape character, sets a vision for how it will look in the future and provides guidelines to help manage change, restoration and enhancement of landscape features.
Download part 2, which provides guidance to encourage more detailed landscape character assessments to be developed in Cumbria.
Landscape character for other areas
This includes:
Historic Landscape Characterisation Service
You can also read about our Historic Environment Service