North Pennines Outdoor Mobility adds Acorn Bank to the Tramper network

The North Pennines National Landscape team is pleased to announce the addition of another Tramper mobility scooter to its North Pennines Outdoor Mobility network. The latest Tramper has been provided at Acorn Bank, funded through Defra’s Access for All programme, in conjunction with Access to Eden Partnership, which is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A second Tramper at Acorn Bank, on the fringes of the North Pennines in the Eden Valley, enables more visitors to access the National Trust garden and estate. The route for the Tramper explores the woodland and estate, including the watermill, quarry and wildlife hide. Visitors can also use the Tramper to discover the formal gardens, café and front of the house.

Heather Birkett , Garden and Outdoor Manager at Acorn Bank said, “We are pleased to be working with the North Pennines National Landscape team to provide a second Tramper for Acorn Bank visitors to use. The additional Tramper supports more people to accessibly explore the nature and wildlife at Acorn Bank.”

Simon Wilson, Programme Manager for Business and Development at the North Pennines National Landscape said, “It’s great to support accessible visits through the North Pennines Outdoor Mobility network, primarily funded as part of Defra’s Access for All programme. This network of North Pennines locations has been created specifically to help more people to explore the area and be able to enjoy nature and the landscape.”

Trampers are all-terrain mobility scooters, supporting users to explore the landscape along accessible routes.

ENDS

Notes for editors

• Contact Sarah Hudspeth, Communications Lead from the North Pennines National Landscape team for further information – communications@northpennines.org.uk  Phone: 01388 528801 / 07768 123247

• North Pennines Outdoor Mobility network. A network of Tramper all-terrain mobility scooters available in the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark. Working with partners across the National Landscape, there are six sites in the North Pennines with Tramper mobility scooters available at each location, and identified routes to explore and enjoy the landscape. Tramper locations:

Bowlees Visitor Centre

Derwent Reservoir

Killhope Lead Mining Museum (currently closed for refurbishment)

High Force waterfall

Acorn Bank National Trust

Talkin Tarn Country Park

Booking is via our delivery partner Outdoor Mobility https://www.outdoormobility.org/north-pennines

• Defra Access for All programme.

Access for All is a funding programme which will improve access to the outdoors across the country. Defra has committed £14.5m to make targeted access improvements in our protected landscapes, national trails, forests and the wider countryside to help bring the benefits of spending time in nature to everyone.

• About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033.

Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment. We help protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.

We are passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund  www.heritagefund.org.uk

• The North Pennines National Landscape is one of England’s most special places – a peaceful, unspoilt landscape with a rich history and vibrant natural beauty. It was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1988. The purpose of this nationally recognised designation is the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of the area.

At almost 2,000 sq. kilometres the North Pennines is the second largest of the 46 National Landscapes (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and is one of the most peaceful and unspoilt places in England. Visit www.landscapesforlife.org.uk for information about the National Landscapes family. .

The North Pennines lies between the National Parks of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland with the urban centres of County Durham away to the east. Parts of the National Landscape are within the boundaries of four local authorities; Cumberland Council, Durham County Council, Northumberland County Council, and Westmorland & Furness Council.

• The North Pennines National Landscape Partnership is an alliance of public, statutory and voluntary sector bodies with an interest in the future of the North Pennines. The work of the Partnership is carried out by the National Landscape team which takes action to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area, to raise awareness of its special qualities and to improve the quality of life for local people.

• UNESCO Global Geopark – As well as being a National Landscape, the North Pennines is a UNESCO Global Geopark. This puts the area’s Geopark status in the same UNESCO family as World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves. UNESCO Global Geoparks are places with outstanding geology where special effort is made to make the most of geological heritage to support community and economy. Locally this includes producing geo-trails, developing projects with school and community groups, producing displays for visitor attractions and holding geology festivals and events.

• Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges is a partnership project led by Eden Rivers Trust with a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund that will remove the barriers that prevent people and wildlife from accessing the natural heritage of East Cumbria and ‘build the bridges’ needed so that they enjoy and thrive in, on and beside Eden’s rivers.The project includes improvements to walks and trails, coupled with better information plus opportunities for all ages and abilities to get closer to nature, so that more people can explore, enjoy and care for Eden’s rivers. It also involves community-led practical conservation projects at eight ‘doorstep’ sites that are within easy reach of urban areas along the length of the river Eden – creating sustainable, healthy, thriving natural spaces.