Ambleside Sports has joined forces with the Lake District National Park authority to promote local traditions in support of the bid for World Heritage status.
The Sports, featuring hound trails, fell and track races, and Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, are seen as a key feature of Lake District culture and heritage
The LDNP will be at the 'Sports in July' with their Herdy hoopla game, on the day that the first ever women’s world championship for Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling is staged.
Cumberland wrestling is a focal part of the traditional sports fixtures throughout the Lake District each summer.
“Local people are at the heart of the rich, cultural landscape of the Lake District," said LDNP World Heritage Coordinator, John Hodgson.
"The survival of ourlocal traditions associated with hill farming culture, including annual agricultural shows, shepherds’ meets and traditional sports, such as Ambleside Sports, are a crucial part of our case for World Heritage."
The bid has been put forward by 25 partner organisations who help manage the Lake District National Park, including National Trust, Forestry Commission and Natural England.
The LDNP says that cultural visitors to World Heritage sites tend to stay longer and spend more money.
They have worked out that just a one per cent shift towards ‘cultural visitors’ could boost the local economy by about £20m per year without an increase in overall tourist numbers.
“The bid nomination is currently with UNESCO for review and we expect to hear whether we’ve been awarded the status in summer 2017,” said John.
“We’re asking people to show their support for the bid and love of the Lake District by backing the bid at lakesworldheritage.co.uk and to try their hand at Herdy Hoopla at various shows over the summer.”
The first Ambleside Sports featured wrestling along with the same events which are on the schedules today: fell running, track racing, track cycling and hound-trailing.
Ambleside Traditional Lakeland Sports will be held at Rydal Park, Thursday July 28