Thanks for all your support for our campaign to extend the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks. Richard Benyon, the Secretary of State for DEFRA announced there will be a public inquiry into extending the parks in June.

After three public consultations, in which the public overwhelmingly voted in favour of extending the two parks, this public inquiry will be the last legal stage before (we hope) the boundaries are confirmed by the government.

The five extension areas in the National Park boundary consultation are:

Lake District:
· Birkbeck Fells Common, Bretherdale, Borrowdale, Whinfell, Grayrigg and Dillicar Commons and adjacent land (area between the A6 and M6);
· Helsington Barrows to Sizergh Fell and part of the Lyth Valley (area between Brigsteer and Levens villages south east of Kendal).

Yorkshire Dales:
· Middleton, Barbon, Casterton and Leck Fells, part of Firbank Fell, part of the Lune Valley and fells to the west (east and north of Kirkby Lonsdale);
· Firbank Fell (west of Sedbergh);
· Northern Howgill Fells, Wild Boar Fell and Mallerstang (south of Kirkby Stephen);
· Part of the Orton Fells (north east of Tebay).

For more background information about the National Park extensions or to join Friends of the Lake District please click here.

People had until 16 March 2012 to respond and Friends of the Lake District, supported by many national and local organisations, key national figures and businesses, backed the National Park expansions plans.(1)

Sir Chris Bonington, Vice President of Friends of the Lake District and the Campaign for National Parks, said: "From my home in the North Lakes I am very fortunate to wake up to such a stunningly beautiful place. My climbing career has taken me to many corners of the world, yet I can safely say the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales offer some of the finest landscapes of anywhere. Cumbria's two National Parks are treasures upon which our human spirit and well-being and the local economy inherently depend. We must grasp this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to extend the boundaries of both the Lakes and Dales to what they ought to have been 60 years ago! Please support the proposed extension areas."

Eric Robson, Chairman of Cumbria Tourism and President of The Wainwright Society said: "It's one of the great bits of unfinished business in the British countryside. By bringing the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales together we celebrate the forgotten uplands that lie between the two National Parks. At last they'll get the recognition they deserve."

(1). Lakes to Dales Campaign Supporters:
National and Cumbrian members:
Sir Chris Bonington CBE
Bill Bryson
Brian Blessed
Dave Birkett
Melvyn Bragg
Lord Clark of Windermere
John Dunning CBE
Ben Fogle
Ellie Harrison
Sir Martin Holdgate CB
Baron Inglewood of Hutton-in-the Forest
Lord Judd
Simon King
Frank Lee
Cameron McNeish
Sir Andrew Motion
Rt. Rev. James Newcome Bishop of Carlisle
Sir Jonathon Porritt
Dame Fiona Reynolds
Eric Robson
Paul Rose
Doug Scott
Janet Street-Porter
Ray Woolmore

Organisations:
British Mountaineering Council
Campaign for National Parks
Campaign for the Protection of Rural England
Cumbria Tourism
Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Dales Way Association
Friends of Eden, Lakeland and Lunesdale Scenery
The Fell and Rock Climbing Club of the English Lake District Limited
John Muir Trust
Friends of the Lake District
The National Trust
Open Spaces Society
Ramblers Association
Wainwright Society
Westmorland Ltd.
Yorkshire Dales Society