The beautiful UK hotspot loved by Brits labelled as 'basically Blackpool' by local
The Lake District looks like a serene place to visit on the face of it - but one local has laid bare the real effects overtourism are having on it.
A popular UK beauty spot, popular with staycationers looking to escape urban life, has been likened to the more lively Blackpool - a seaside town bustling with tourists.
The Lake District, in North West England, is one of the UK's most picturesque and popular national parks. Known for its stunning landscapes, the area features a mix of rugged mountains, serene lakes, and quaint villages.
But the influx of tourists has reportedly impacted the picturesque landscape. John Higgins of Barrow-in-Furness’s Dock Museum told The Telegraph: “It’s basically Blackpool.”
The area has inspired many writers, most notably William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. Wordsworth’s home, Dove Cottage, and Beatrix Potter's Hill Top farm are popular attractions. Despite the area always being a fixture in the staycation handbook, so to speak, Cumbrians have become "wearily used to the influx".
People tend to cling to the same well-publicised sites, it added, which is "not a true reflection of the region, nor best value for visitors."
The Lake District is a year-round destination, attracting millions of visitors annually. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017 for its natural beauty and cultural significance.
A disappointed tourist also wrote on TripAdvisor forum: "The Lake District tries so hard to be traditional and retain its chintzy charm that it is sadly endanger of becoming a parody of itself.
"By detaching from what it perceives as the vices of 21st-century tourism, it may well transform into the theme park it so desperately wants to avoid becoming."
Even a website dedicated to the Lake District openly bullet-points the pros and cons of the overtourism of the area. The pros being job prospects, the cash injection from tourists being used to preserve the area, and local people value and care for the environment.
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The cons, it says, are the unreliable nature of tourism jobs, the erosion of footpaths and other public amenities and potential price bumps to target tourists, when locals are inadvertedly affected.
The need for more holiday homes also runs a risk of pricing out locals - and creating a crisis in itself. Blackpool, on the contrary, is dubbed a cheap place to live, but it has long suffered an antisocial problem.
