Last updated at 12:13, Tuesday, 06 November 2012

FOUR Cumbrian businesses have gained recognition for their positive responsible tourism initiatives.

SYMBOL: The logo for the Nurture Lakeland Responsible Tourism Awards

The Nurture Lakeland Responsible Tourism Awards were launched for the first time this year to help celebrate Nurture Lakeland’s 18th birthday. And Mountain Goat, The Lakeland 100, Cedar Manor Hotel and New Ing Lodge are the group’s first winners.

The first holder of the Nurture Lakeland Sustainable Travel Ambassador Award, sponsored by Go Lakes Travel, is Lakes tour operator Mountain Goat.

Mountain Goat won the award for providing a sustainable travel option for visitors around the Lake District and for being founding partners in the Cross Lakes Experience, which connects the west shore of Windermere with Coniston and links the Hawkshead area with Bowness.

The winner of the new Visitor Giving Ambassador Award was The Lakeland 100, a long distance trail race held on the Lakeland fells, which raised a total of £7,500 in 2012 for the Fix the Fells project coordinated by Nurture Lakeland.

As well as being recognised for this feat, Lakeland 100 was commended for raising awareness and understanding of the impacts an event can have on the local landscape.

The Love Your Lakes Ambassador Award, which marks the achievements of a business that communicates the “Love Your Lakes” message to visitors, as well as positively taking action to assist the environmental health of the lakes, went to Cedar Manor Hotel in Windermere.

Cedar Manor has championed the use of phosphate-free dishwashing products and actively encouraged local laundrette suppliers to follow their lead and go phosphate-free. In this way, they have influenced the laundry suppliers to take responsibility for the impacts they cause within local lakes.

New Ing Lodge in Shap won The Above and Beyond Award, which recognises a business that integrates responsible tourism into numerous aspects of its operation. New Ing Lodge scooped this prize for responsible tourism initiatives in the renovation and restoration of its guest house, including water-saving devices, energy efficiency initiatives and biomass boilers, and the raising of its own pigs.

Additionally, New Ing takes part in Visitor Giving for Orton Community Woodland and is a strong ambassador for responsible tourism within its industry.

The awards were presented by sponsors such as Richard Greenwood of Cumbria Tourism, Sue Savege of Nurture Lakeland, Michael Roberts from Express Hygiene and Bob Cartwright, director of park services at the Lake District National Park Authority.

Nurture Lakeland director, Sue Savege, says: “We were delighted to mark the achievements of these four inspirational and dedicated businesses with our new awards, providing another chapter in Nurture Lakeland’s 18-year history. We hope more businesses will follow their lead and get involved with responsible tourism initiatives, Visitor Giving and sustainability.”

First published at 12:11, Tuesday, 06 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk