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'Loveliest view' spot reopens after campaign

Cumbria Tourism A river in front of a pebbled river bank and green fields. Hills can be seen in the background alongside trees. The leaves on the trees are just turning orange.Cumbria Tourism
The viewpoint closed in 2021 over fears the river's embankment was eroding

A beauty spot described as "one of the loveliest" in England has reopened after three years.

Ruskin's View in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, is one of the area's main tourist attractions, but closed in 2021 as a result of erosion making the river's embankment unsafe to walk along.

But local campaigners have since raised £150,000 to enable access to be reinstated to the first viewpoint and seating area.

Part of the footpath will remain closed due to weak and unstable ground, however the development has been called a "very welcome first step".

Ruskin's View was made famous by the Victorian poet and art critic John Ruskin, who described it as "one of the loveliest views in England, and therefore the world".

When access closed in September 2021, a local campaign 'Save Ruskin's View' was launched to help fund the £1m estimated for the repairs.

Cumbria Tourism A view of green fields surrounding a river. Rolling hills can be seen in the background and bright pink flowers in the foreground.Cumbria Tourism
The view in Cumbria was made famous by Victorian poet John Ruskin

The £150,000 raised so far has allowed part of the path to the viewing platform to reopen.

Allan Muirhead, chair of Kirkby Lonsdale Community Interest Company, called the spot the area's "most famous landmark".

"Ruskin's View plays a vital role in supporting our local visitor economy," he said.

"So this is a very welcome first step to getting the full footpath reopen for the benefit of local residents and tourists alike."

With a view of the River Lune, the scene was immortalised by British landscape painter J.M.W. Turner and praised by William Wordsworth as a place "not to be missed" in his 1810 Guide to the Lakes.

Jac Beeson, a local business owner who oversees the town's community-run information and gift shop, said everyone was "over the moon" the viewpoint was once again accessible to the public.

"We're excited to welcome people back to enjoy this precious part of our cultural heritage."

Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council has said further monitoring and ground investigation is ongoing, in an effort to reopen the full footpath as soon as possible.

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