Cross Bay Walk held in bid to save Kirkby Lonsdale’s heritage

More than 200 people from the Kirkby Lonsdale community bought tickets for the walk – set up by blue badge guide and international guide trainer Tess Pike – and donated money to the cause, raising more than £2,500 towards saving Ruskin’s View.

The walk, led by King’s Guide to the Sands Michael Wilson, encountered challenging weather conditions with heavy rain, strong winds and hailstones.

Tess said: “The weather conditions were ridiculously challenging, which made for a memorable experience. There were various levels of enjoyment of those who took part, even those who were way beyond their comfort zone rose to the challenge and had a real sense of achievement once they’d got home, dried and warmed up.”

Tess, who lives in the town, is a blue badge guide for Cumbria, Yorkshire, the north east and Liverpool. She is also a volunteer for the ‘Friends of Ruskin’s View’, a campaign raising funds to save a well-loved part of the town’s heritage.

As a member of the Kirkby Lonsdale community Tess wants to play a part in restoring and reopening access to the brow so residents and visitors can once again enjoy the view.

She said: “I miss the view because it is my go-to place whenever I seek peace and space to reflect and switch off from the everyday stresses of life.

"It has a beauty and timelessness to it, and as a guide, I loved being able to share it with visitors – not just because of its beauty, but because of the stories that it has to tell: it’s famous because it was painted by JMW Turner and admired by John Ruskin, but there’s so much more of our history and heritage tied up with the view.”

The community has run many events over recent months to try to raise more than £1m to save their iconic view.

Ruskin’s View, located in the heart of the town, is a renowned heritage site that has become intrinsic to Kirkby Lonsdale's culture and community, inspiring countless artists and creatives and hosting thousands of visitors each year.

Elevated above the banks of the River Lune, the pathway provides invaluable public access to the cemetery of St Mary's Church, the rugby club and to a network of paths and trails beyond.

Due to continuous and unpredictable erosion from floods, the riverbank is unstable, making the viewpoints and footpath unsafe, resulting in its closure.

Residents and visitors have lost a beloved community space which has become intrinsic to both the community's heritage and well-being.

The closure is also a major heritage attraction and as such has a significant impact on the business of the town too.

Following the success of the walk, Tess is planning told a talk about the bay at The Lunesdale Hall. Details will be shared on the campaign’s social media pages soon.