Sheona Southern

I’m Sheona Southern, lived in Kendal for 9 years, with my office in Windermere. I have run a Marketing consultancy business since 2009 working mainly with destinations and organisations in the tourism and leisure sector across the UK.

I love the outdoors and recently completed an ambition of mine, which was to complete the Fred Whitton – a legendary bike ride of 112 miles through many of the mountain passes in the Lakes. I’ve become a bit of an outdoor fanatic since coming to Cumbria. But in a good way!

One of my favourite days out would be a bike ride from Keswick (under Catbells down Borrowdale to Honister Slate Mine, past Buttermere and up over Newlands) round some of the beautiful valleys. In the summer: canoe and a swim in Coniston followed by a pub meal at the Strickland Arms on the way home.

Having spent several years commuting on UK’s busy motorways it’s so good to travel to work amongst lovely countryside with the occasional traffic hold up due to a tractor. I still feel connected though - I live ½ mile from Oxenholme train station so I can be in London in less than 3 hours.

We are so lucky (thanks to our tourists) in Cumbria to have such a variety of things to do as well as the outdoor playground: attractions, pubs and restaurants – the envy of many rural communities. It’s a brilliant place to live, work and to bring up a family.

I love to be anywhere beside the water – any of the lakes and tarns: wild camping at Stickle Tarn is a favourite. The West coast has become a special place for my family too – we take the dog walking on the beach, which is always a great day out.  

As for World Heritage Site status we have a responsibility to look after this special place for future generations. Visitors don’t always realise that it takes skilled people, lots of time and money to keep The Lakes looking so amazing.

Many businesses that make a living from visitors and organisations with a direct responsibility for looking after this place, work together to do a great job to keep it special.