International Mountain Day at Wings Cumbria
Monday 11th of December was the United Nations International Mountain Day. Wings Cumbria celebrated by going into the Lake District and looking at how Mountains can benefit people. We discussed getting out in the mountains and fells to improve mental health, how the Lake District mountains directly contribute to the economy through tourism and how people have made a living in the mountains. The theme of this year’s International Mountain Day was restoring mountain ecosystems and we saw this first hand at Gummer’s How where they are carrying out woodland management using traditional methods.
At Wings Cumbria we’re lucky to be so close to the Lakes and this year we have been up Snowdon, two of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks and several Wainwrights. Outdoor Education at Wings Cumbria is an integral part of the curriculum working on young people’s self-esteem, mental health and alternative qualifications. We asked a few members of the Wings Cumbria community what their favourite mountain moment was, and these are some of the responses.
“When we reached the top of Snowdon, the clouds lifted, and I could see across the whole of Snowdonia and I was amazed at how beautiful it was!”
“Watching the sun rise over Angle Tarn on my way to Scafell Pike.” Mr MacDowell
“I was really proud when I got to the top of Whernside! Lots of people were surprised that I managed to do it!”
“I was lucky enough to go for a wild winter swim in Stickle Tarn where I had to smash the ice!” Miss Lockyer