YESTERDAY saw the news that Carlisle and the Borderlands - incorporating Cumbria, the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and Northumberland - has put in a bid to become the 2025 UK City of Culture.
The huge region may not be a self-contained city but it's chock full of cultural assets which would make it a worthy recipient of the title.
HISTORY
Surely nowhere can rival the Borderlands for its rich historical heritage. Hadrian's Wall runs like a spine through the region. The Roman structure, which celebrates its 1,900 birthday next year, was the inspiration for the Wall in George R R Martin's 'Song of Ice and Fire' books, later filmed as 'Game of Thrones'. And there's plenty more besides. Carlisle Castle, for example, is steeped in stories, and Northumberland alone boasts more than 70 castles.
LITERATURE & MUSEUMS
From Wordsworth and Coleridge to Beatrix Potter, the landscapes of Cumbria have inspired writers for centuries. And across the Borderlands region, society's stories are told through a vast number of museums big and small, from Tullie House in Carlisle to The Devil's Porridge Museum in Dumfries & Galloway and hundreds of others.
NATIONAL PARKS
The landscapes of this rural area are also rich with culture, as well as natural beauty. The landscapes of the Lake District, for example, are as moulded by human activity and rural culture going back centuries as they are natural. There's also Northumberland National Park, Galloway Forest Park, and a number of areas of natural beauty, all on our doorstep.
THEATRE & FESTIVALS
The Borderlands is a largely rural area but it boasts its fair share of theatres. And festivals large and small are staged across the region, or were, until Covid came along, and will be again after it's gone. From Solfest to Kendal Calling to Lindisfarne Festival and hundreds of other events, the region has a rich offer for music lovers.
SPORT
Football, rugby (league and union), cricket... the Borderlands is well represented in the sporting sector. With medal winning swimmers and up-and-coming cyclists coming out of Cumbria, the hills, valleys and lakes of the Borderlands region produces top talent.
FOOD & DRINK
The Borderlands region boasts some of the best restaurants in the world. Indeed, three of the top 40 UK restaurants are in Cumbria, according to the National Restaurant Awards. L'enclume at Cartmel, The Cottage in the Wood in Keswick, and Hrishi in Windermere were all selected for the prestigious listing.
Obviously we haven't covered everything here. But what are your cultural highlights from the area? Let us know in the comments.
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