Another year has come to a close, so we’ve put together a list of Cumbria’s 10 biggest news stories.
It’s been an interesting year for news in the county, we’ve covered everything from mysterious sculptures to Hollywood movie sets in the Lake District – but some stories stood out more than others.
Sometimes it’s not always the big breaking news stories that grab you – our readers – attention, sometimes it’s good news, or local tales, that you love to read and share with others.
It’s a big part of our job to notice what you enjoy reading and while it’s true that big crime stories and tales of rescue and woe are often popular – we do regularly see positive stories break the mould.
We’ve put together a list of 10 of our most-read stories in no particular order for you to read through before the year comes to an end.
1. Rare birds of prey breeding in Cumbria for first time
Starting off the list with a nice feel-good story – a rare bird of prey is believed to be nesting in South Cumbria for the first time.
The hobby, a small, elegant falcon, is a frequent summer visitor to the south and east of England and South Wales but less common further north.
However, two Cumbria Wildlife Trust volunteers, Matthew Cookson and David Thexton, reported in September what is believed to be the first confirmed sighting of a pair of nesting hobbies in Cumbria.
2. Borrowdale Banksy strikes again in Lake District
The mystery of the Borrowdale Banksy continued on this year after another stone ring was spotted in the Lake District.
The latest sculpture is the only one found this year and was reported by Tom Twentyman who spotted it while out walking in October with his border terriers Louis and Lola.
He found the circular slate structure below Bannerdale Crags between Blencathra and Bowscale Fell.
If you’re as invested in the Borrowdale Banksy mystery as we are – have a read of our latest story summing up all the sculptures reported so far and clues on the identity of the mystery artist.
3. Cillian Murphy spotted as filming of 28 Days Later sequel in Lake District continues
Ennerdale was home to a Hollywood movie set earlier this year when Cillian Murphy was spotted in costume and special effects make up filming scenes for what is believed to Danny Boyle’s upcoming film 28 Years Later.
Our sources were lucky enough to snap a picture of Cillian on the site where the final scenes of the franchise’s first film, 28 Days Later, were filmed in 2001.
A house near Bowness Knott – believed to have been featured in the first film – was also seen covered in set dressing including boarded-up fencing and fake foliage.
Jodie Comer is also believed to have been spotted in the area around the same time.
28 Years Later is so highly anticipated it recently became the world’s most watched horror movie trailer ever. You can watch the trailer here.
4. Is it illegal to wild camp in the Lake District? Everything you need to know
More and more people are getting out in the Lake District and with that comes a natural increase in interest in outdoor activities.
Year in, year out, we receive dozens of emails photographing incidents of fly-camping, littering and fires in the Lake District – so this year we decided to put together a resource on top tips for wild camping safely.
5. Cargo ship runs aground at Silloth
A cargo ship made headlines in May after it ran aground in Silloth.
The 89.88m Bremen was quickly unstuck – but the incident greatly piqued the interest of our readers.
6. Lake District mountain rescue team called after 40kg dog refuses to move
A Lake District mountain rescue team was called out in January after two walkers and their dog failed to return from a walk on Scafell.
Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team was called after a concerned family member raised the alarm.
Due to the weather conditions, and potential for hypothermia, a full callout was made and additional support from Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team and Lake District Search Dogs.
After searches of several areas, the team assigned to Hollow Stones heard barking and howling – and spotted a light high on Scafell.
They found the walkers and their dog Dexter, who was refusing to move. The 40kg Doberman/Belgian Malinois cross had decided not to move any further on nightfall, despite much encouragement.
Dexter’s owners were well equipped – so teams made a plan to wait out the night in the hopes Dexter would regain his confidence once light returned.
Luckily teams were able to eventually safely coax Dexter back down the mountain the following day.
7. Northern Lights spectacular in Cumbria’s skies
The Northern Lights put on a spectacular show for most of Cumbria in March as the biggest solar storm in 20 years hit the UK.
They became visible after one of the strongest geomagnetic storms for years hit Earth.
People across the country were treated to a show of the lights which were visible to the naked eye.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare solar storm warning, and clear skies meant a dazzling display was visible from all over the UK and the world.
The Northern Lights – or aurora borealis – are caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
8. Five Lake District hotels named among Michelin’s best in UK
Five Lake District hotels were named among the best in the UK by Michelin.
The hotels were named after the prestigious food guide launched Michelin Keys – the equivalent of Michelin stars for restaurants.
The Michelin Guide now includes over 5,000 hotels across the world.
Each is vetted by hotel experts and judged excellent in five categories: architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; overall personality and character; value for the price; and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting.
Hotels are awarded either three, two or one keys.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House and The Samling, both in Windermere, have been awarded two keys and Forest Side at Grasmere, Farlam Hall near Brampton and Linthwaite House in Bowness were also awarded One Key from Michelin.
9. Lake District holiday park named England’s campsite of the year
A Lake District holiday park was named England’s campsite of the year by the AA.
The 130-acre Skelwith Fold in Ambleside, beat thousands of other eligible parks to take the prestigious national title which was announced in November.
AA judges described Skelwith Fold as a top quality park in a beautiful setting and praised its wooded grounds, nature trail and top-end accommodation such as luxury safari tents.
Owned by the Wild family for almost 30 years, Skelwith Fold was declared England’s top park after a rigorous appraisal by the AA of its facilities and services.
Expert judges said the five-star site could truly be described as a park right at the top of its game.
10. Cumbrian castle becomes tourist attraction for first time in its 850-year history
A Cumbrian castle embarked on a new chapter in its 850-year history in 2024.
Greystoke Castle, privately owned by the Howard family trust, has hosted countless weddings and events over the years – but 2024 saw it undertake work to become a tourist destination in its own right.
Over the past year, the Grade II*-listed building has evolved to offer everything from afternoon teas, tours of the rooms and grounds, re-enactments, outdoor theatre, comedy, art exhibitions, and more.
The man behind the change is Tom Nash, a businessman who owns the Lake View Bar and Grill in Bowness and the George pub in Burton-in-Kendal.
