Two men and a woman are walking along a wooded path. One of the women has a toddler balanced on her hip as she walks.

Stuart Walker Photography

Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges

Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges is a partnership project, led by Eden Rivers Trust and supported by 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.

Core to our project is the desire to create an organic community conservation network for the Eden. We see this operating across organisational boundaries where ideas, knowledge, and opportunities flow from one site to the next across the Eden and take our beneficiaries with them, ensuring they have the maximum opportunity to experience the natural heritage of the Eden on their own terms.

Eden river catchment map featuring locations of the eight Access to Eden project doorstep sites.

The project is split into two broad areas

Greener spaces on your doorstep
This is about making improvements to the river environment at EIGHT sites that are ‘on the doorstep’ of urban areas along the length of the river Eden – creating sustainable, healthy, thriving natural spaces. Many of these will be community-led/inspired practical conservation projects that will make the sites in Carlisle, Lower Eden, Penrith and Source of the Eden (Kirkby Stephen) better places for people and wildlife.
An Eden for everyone
This is a programme of activities, often connected to the doorstep sites above but also covering the whole of the Eden catchment, that will create opportunities for people to enjoy Eden’s rivers and nature. This will include improvements to selected walks and trails, coupled with better information plus opportunities including volunteering, training and events for all ages and abilities to get closer to nature, so that more people can explore, enjoy and care for Eden’s rivers.

Vision

To break down the physical, social and cultural barriers that prevent people from accessing the natural heritage of Eden, and build the bridges that will give them the confidence to enjoy and help protect our blue and green spaces.

Greener spaces on your doorstep

Making improvements to the river environment at EIGHT sites ‘on the doorstep’ of urban areas along the length of the river Eden – creating sustainable, healthy, thriving natural spaces.

An Eden for everyone

This is a programme of activities, often connected to the doorstep sites above but also covering the whole of the Eden catchment, that will create opportunities for people to enjoy Eden’s rivers and nature.

Ways to the water

Aim: More access to the River Eden for more people.

Promote, describe (and grade) 20 ‘favourite’ accessible routes in the Eden and where feasible, improve accessibility of five additional routes to the river close to centres of population (Carlisle, Penrith, Appleby and Kirkby Stephen). Walks in the Eden catchment

We will launch a Gaps and Gates Community Fund that will offer financial support for landowners to replace stiles with gates or to create gaps in footpaths to allow easier passage for more people near/ to the river.

Action against invasives

Aim: The invasive species threat to Eden’s rivers is reduced by people power, increased knowledge and personal responsibility.

Everyone can do their bit to stop the spread of invasive, non-native species (INNS) … if they know how. We’ll galvanise communities and river users to Check, Clean, Dry every time they’re in/by the river, give them the tools and knowledge to identify and report INNS and eradicate the most common invader, Himalayan balsam. Eden's invasive species

River revival

Aim: Communities can be the change makers and advocates for improved rivers and habitats across the Eden.

Partners will work together to open up more opportunities for community conservation volunteers so that they can support conservation projects throughout the Eden.

Go with the flow

Aim: Outdoor learning for rivers is embedded into youth and schools’ programmes for the future.

We’ll deliver an outdoor learning programme about and enjoyment of rivers for youth groups, schools and young people with additional needs, CPD for teachers and resources to support learning to inspire and empower the next generation to care for and enjoy rivers.

Skills for a greener future

Aim: Assist four young people in taking their first steps into an environmental career and have well-trained volunteers.

Knowledge and skills are key to ensuring our rivers can thrive and support a sustainable future for all, so this programme will feature four 6-month placements for people starting out in a conservation career and practical conservation skills training for staff and volunteers. Our latest trainee's first months with us

Welcome in the countryside

Aim: Inspire and support more disconnected groups to explore Eden’s countryside in a more self-sustained/self-driven way.

Lead partner: North Pennines National Landscape. This is about building up a dialogue with some of the hardest-to-reach groups in the city to explore needs and desires when it comes to being in the countryside and then working with rural communities in Eden to respond to those needs.

The Hub

Aim: Create an online space where people can easily find what they need to enjoy, care for and experience the Eden on their terms.

Information about walks, events and conservation opportunities in our area is difficult and time-consuming to find on the web, so the Access Hub will make it easy! This will be an online interactive space with accessibility at its heart, containing inspiration, information and opportunities to explore Eden, take action (volunteer) and learn about/interpret the natural heritage.

Partners and funders

Access the Dales, Carlisle Waverley Viaduct Trust, Cumberland Council, Cumbria Canoeists the delivery partner of the British Canoeing Cumbria Regional Development Team, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Eden Rivers Trust, NHS North Cumbria Integrated Care, North Pennines National Landscape, Northern Viaduct Trust, Penrith and Eden Refugee Network, Penrith Town Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

The total project is worth £2.6m with £2 million awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Other donors include: Ernest Cook Charitable Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Westmorland and Furness Council, Defra Access Fund, Network Rail, Cumberland Council, Cumberland Community Panels, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, North Pennines National Landscape, Yorkshire Dales National Park, British canoeing, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, landowners at Wallacefield, Ian Gregg and Penrith Town Council.