Following their high profile visit to Keswick on Tuesday (11 June), The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took some time during their busy schedule for a short walk with Cumbria Wildlife Trust volunteers Steve and Beth Pipe, and Conservation Manager David Harpley, in Patterdale.

The walk was an opportunity to talk about wildlife conservation issues impacting Cumbria as well as a chance to take in some of Cumbria’s stunning views. Steve and Beth Pipe, who have written wildlife walk guides for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, planned the route, which took the party to a point to see views along Glenridding, over to Ullswater and up the valley to Kirkstone Pass.  

Beth Pipe said: “It was an absolute delight to spend time guiding The Duke and Duchess around this beautiful corner of Cumbria and chatting to them about how Cumbria Wildlife Trust is working hard to protect, preserve and improve the many rare and precious habitats.  They were both clearly very knowledgeable and care as passionately about the landscape as we do.  It was also wonderful to hear first-hand how they're encouraging their own children to experience and engage with the outdoors.”

Part way along the walk The Duke and Duchess met with a small group of school children from local Patterdale C of E School, their head teacher Liz Stewart, and Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Senior Education and Volunteer Officer, Jamie Normington. The school children were taking part in an educational session in a wildflower meadow.

David Harpley presented the Royal couple with a family membership of Cumbria Wildlife Trust and a Wildlife Watch pack to each of the school children.

David Harpley said: “The Duke and Duchess seemed like really nice people and they were very interested in Cumbria and its environment. We talked about Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s work in helping farmers restore hay meadows and upland peatlands, our work in managing nature reserves and how natural flood management can help Cumbria. Then we met Jamie Normington the Trust’s Senior Education Officer and children from Patterdale school, and we talked about the importance of children being able to spend time in nature.”