Christmas Coffee Morning in Church

 

Oxenholme Lane closed.

 An urgent road closure has been put in place to allow Westmorland and Furness Highways to carry out urgent highway repair works.

This notice will be in force for a period not exceeding 5 days from 1st December 2025. It is expected that the Works will take 5 days.

It’s just at the top, and they are repairing the pavement. Even bicycles and pedestrians are not supposed to be allowed through, though some very nice workmen let me walk over the rubble this morning. Ed.

Christmas W.I. Meeting

 The next W.I. meeting is on Wednesday the 17th December at 7.30 in the Village Hall. Gilly Peters-Parr will lead us in a craft session involving embroidery (bring needle, thread and scissors if you have them). This will result in us all taking something home to hang on the Christmas tree.

We’ll be enjoying mulled wine and mince pies and if you want to join us you will be very welcome. Come along bedecked in outrageous Christmas jewellery if you want to enter the competition.

Parish News for December/January

The new vicar is here! Click here for the Church magazine, and find out more about her.

Notes and Minutes from the November Parish Council Meeting

 FROM YOUR ON THE SPOT PARISH COUNCIL REPORTER

At the start of the parish council meeting a resident asked the council to consider erecting a street light on the village green directly opposite the exit from the village hall frontage.  A sensible suggestion but it's not that simple – there are rules and regulations covering use of the village green.

This item will be on next month's agenda. 

W&F Cllr Doug Rathbone had nothing to report from the higher echelons of government. 

The parish Resilience Plan has been taken off the shelf and dusted down.  Cllr Clark has identified a few things that need updating but he also suggested that to make it a useful exercise in identifying areas of potential risk and how the parish could or should react, further work is needed  He will undertake this work, including liaising with Kendal Town council. 

You will remember, of course, that the Community Governance Review for Westmorland and Furness is just 'are you happy with your parish boundaries'.  Natland Parish council is to respond with 'we are completely happy with the current parish boundaries and Kendal can forget any idea of making a land grab for the northern end'.  Only much more diplomatically put of course.

The clerk to the council has acquired 3 quotations to supply a new and compliant website and email system for parish council business.  It was agreed to go ahead with the quotation from A2A. The company will install the new system, including historic data, but all future inputs will have to be done by the parish.  The options are for a councillor or a private person to take it on.  A councillor could not be paid but an honorarium could be offered to a private individual.  I think this matter will be an agenda item for months to come; for one thing the cost of the new system was not mentioned at the council meeting.

Helping St Mark's school to buy new equipment for the playground seemed a nice easy thing to do and it was believed that, outside of school hours, other residents would have use of the playground.  Never assume – Check.  An eagled eyed resident has pointed out to the council that not only has the gate to the playground been locked outside school hours but the school uses the facility both outside school hours in term time and in some of the school holidays.  Oh dear, what a mess; the council had thought to use CIL money for this, which can only be use if it is of wide benefit to the community.  So back to a bit more work on this project.

Not for the first time, it has been suggested that the village notice boards are not well located.  This topic did come before the council not too long ago and cllr Ibbs did a lot of work in pricing and sourcing options.  But the problems have always been – location and should it be the repositioning of just the council notice board or what might be called the village notice board.  There might also be a school of thought that thinks nobody ever reads the notice boards anyway, no matter where they are placed.  Previously the area in front of the church where the bus shelter had been was suggested but another location came up this time. This option is being investigated – more next year.

Story Homes has put in a proposal to reroute the footpath alongside Natland Rd which will run through the new estate.  Natland council's response is that they have no objection to this, but this in no way should detract from the requirement for an accessible and direct footpath and cycle path from the Beeches estate to Natland centre.

As well as the flooding outside the church, which has been and will be continually reported, two other topics came up at the end of the meeting.  First notification via W&F council about the proposed improvement of the canal towpath, which apparently Natland council and the landowners objected to last time but Natland Council are now generally in favour of a better surfaced path and will respond accordingly.  The Kendal 10k road race is planned for April 2026 and it  passes through Natland both outbound and inbound.  Concern was voiced that this may lead not only to inconvenience on Natland Rd but more importantly may be a safety issue.  The council will raise this with the organisers.

The next meeting is on Monday 12th January 2026 at 7pm in the Village Hall.

Click here for the official Minutes.

Canal Towpath

Progress is being made on the next phase of improvements to the old canal towpath south of Kendal, which comes through Natland to Hincaster. Click here for details.

Natland Parish Council: Agenda for November.

Here is the Agenda for the meeting of Natland Parish Council on the 24th November at 7pm in the Village Hall. Members of the public are welcome to contribute their views at the start of the meeting.

Friends of the Lake District Event

On Wednesday 10 December 2025 the Friends of the Lake District are going to be on Helm and would like some help with their tree planting and gorse clearing work.  Click here for more information.

Natland Monday Club

The next Monday Club meeting is on Monday 17 November, 2.00 p.m., in the Village Hall, when the speaker will be Andrew Lowe. His title is “Inside a Lakeland farmhouse”. 

The Monday Club is a monthly club for retired people in Natland and Oxenholme and the surrounding district. We have a talk each month, followed by tea and biscuits and a sociable chat. Come along and join this lively club – annual membership costs £12. For more information contact John Inglesfield, secretary, on 015395 61683

Another hole in the road.

 A notification has been received by Natland Parish Council that Helm Lane will be closed on the 17th November for two days to allow BT to do some work there.

Craft Fair on Saturday

The Annual Village Craft Fair is on Saturday 8th November, 10am until 4pm. There’ll be a wide range of crafts available for sale in the Main Hall, a raffle, and refreshments in the Small Hall. Entrance is free. Proceeds go towards maintenance of the Village Hall.

£840 was raised for Village Hall Funds!

October’s Meeting of Natland Parish Council

The Parish boundary, the speed of traffic through the village, and the costing of the new Parish website were discussed at the October NPC meeting. Click here for the official Minutes.

A different slant on the proceedings can be obtained by clicking on this link.

Parish News for November

There are articles about Remembrance and an invitation to welcome the new Vicar in this month’s Church Magazine.

Wreath Making Workshop

 

Natland Parish Council; Agenda for October

Click here to discover the items up for discussion this month.

Availability of the Village Hall.

Currently there is availability on a regular basis in the small hall on Monday mornings and on Friday mornings or afternoons.  

Occasional bookings may be possible in either room during the day on Thursdays.

At the weekend the hall is available for hire to community groups or for private functions such as children's parties.

Contact Sarah on natland.villagehall@yahoo.co.uk.

Steam train on Saturday.

On Saturday 18th October 34067 Tangmere will  be northbound Oxenholme 11:39.

Pat Williams.

Natland Monday Club

The next Monday Club meeting is on Monday 20 October, 2.00 p.m., in the Village Hall, when the speaker will be Mike Warren of the Arnside and Silverdale Landscape Trust. His title is “Tides of the Kent Estuary”. 

The Monday Club is a monthly club for retired people in Natland and Oxenholme and the surrounding district. We have a talk each month, followed by tea and biscuits and a sociable chat. Come along and join this lively club – annual membership costs £12. For more information contact John Inglesfield, secretary, on 015395 61683.

A Polite Request from Westmorland and Furness Council to close the route for two days.

 A temporary road closure has been put in place to allow BT Openreach to carry out utility works which are expected to commence 27th October 2025 and anticipated to take 2 days to complete. It’s on Oxenholme Lane from  Long Meadow Lane northeastwards.

A Polite Request from St. Mark’s School

The school needs the help of drivers to support a voluntary one-way system during school terms at drop off (8.45-9.15) and pick up times (3.15-3.45).  The route would be in down Oxenholme Lane, then keeping left on the Village Green and turning left after the church, up Helm Lane.

The roads around school become extremely congested during these times – blocked junctions, impatient manoeuvres and residents having difficulty leaving and returning to their homes. It can also be an anxious time for the safety of children walking to and from school.

A voluntary one-way system is about co-operation between the school and the village, not about imposing restrictions on residents.  With your support there can be a real difference to daily life in Natland – less stress, improved safety and the fostering of a considerate community spirit.

 Thank you all for your understanding and support.

October Parish News

 Autumn is getting into gear, so click here to read about the activities of St. Mark’s Church in October.

Contacts and information about Natland Village Hall Groups.

These are just the groups which have open membership criteria.

                          Regular sessions at the hall         (see individual posters for additional detail)

Group	Day	Time		Contact
Sarah Brook Fitness classes	Monday Monday Monday Thursday	10 -10.45am Piloxing 11-11.45am Mat-based yoga 6 -6.45pm      Circuits 6 -6.45pm      Full body fitness		Sarah Brook  07964 070666 sarahbrookfitness@outlook.com
U3A Pickleball	Monday   Friday	12.30 -2pm beginners 2 -4pm 10-12, 12-2pm, 2-4pm     (3 groups)		Hilary Hutchinson 22hilmar@gmail.com
Natland Monday Club  (for older residents but all welcome)	3rd Mondays	2 -4pm		John Inglesfield (Secretary) 015395 61683 J.Ewan.Inglesfield@gmail.com
Age UK – Gentle Exercise  (for over 50’s)	Monday  (not 3rd Mondays)	2 -3.15pm		AgeUK South Lakeland 01539 728118
Natland Parish Council	usually last Monday  (not Aug & Dec)	7 -9.00pm		Rev Kevin Price (Clerk) kevtherev7@hotmail.com
U3A Table Tennis (Doubles)	Tuesday	1.30 -3.00pm		Marian Francis marianfrancis@icloud.com
Natland & Oxenholme Table Tennis Club	Tuesday	6 -7.30pm         7.30-9.30pm	Juniors/beginners Club night	Peter Leahy (Secretary)  07824 381649 lowerbirkby@gmail.com
Natland Craft Group	Wednesday	2 -4pm		Marion Thornton marion.thornton0202@gmail.com
U3A Table Tennis (Singles)	Wednesday	2.00-3.30pm		Cath Sharpe  01539 722803  cath.sharpe@hotmail.com
U3A Badminton	Wednesday	3.45-5.15pm		Malcolm Scott  01539 737613 malcolmscott183@btinternet.com
Natland & Oxenholme WI	3rd Wednesday	7.30-9.30pm		Pauline Bourne (Secretary) 015395 60916 pauline.bourne@outlook.com

 

Minutes and Notes from the September Natland Parish Council Meeting

Click here for the official minutes.

Click here to discover the issues tackled by our Parish Council, from our On the Spot Reporter

Quiz at Castlesteads View

More traffic coming through Natland?

WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL (A591 KENDAL) (TEMPORARY TRAFFIC

REGULATION) ORDER 2025

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to enable highway works to be carried out (“the Works”),

Westmorland and Furness Council intends to make an Order the effect of which is to : -

1. (i) Prohibit all traffic (i.e. vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists), from proceeding along the

following lengths of road: -

A591 Natland Kendal, from its junction with Brettargh Holt roundabout extending in

a northerly direction to its junction with Shenstone roundabout.

Alternative Route: via the unrestricted sections of the A591, A65 and A6.

(ii) A591 Kendal, from its junction with Plumgarths extending in a southerly direction to

its junction with Shenstone roundabout.

Alternative Route north bound traffic: via Milnthorpe Road, Kirkland, Highgate,

Lowther Street, A65 Blackhall Road, Sandes Avenue, Stricklandgate and

Windermere Road.

Alternative Route south bound traffic: via Windermere Road, Stricklandgate,

Sandes Avenue, Blackhall Road, Stramongate, Miller Bridge, Aynam Road, Nether

Bridge and Milnthorpe Road.

2. Prohibit any vehicle from proceeding at speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour along

that section of the A591 Kendal from its junction with Brettargh Holt roundabout

extending in a northerly direction to its junction with Plumgarths.

No speed limit imposed by this Order will apply to vehicles falling within regulation 3(4) of

the Road Traffic Exemptions (Special Forces) (Variation and Amendment) Regulations

2011 when used in accordance with regulation 3(5) of those Regulations.

Any queries to the Highways Hotline 0300 373 3300 or via the Westmorland and

Furness Council website quoting reference TTROW/14926.

The Order will come into operation on 29 September 2025 and may continue in force for a

maximum duration of eighteen months. However, please note that it is anticipated that the

restrictions will only be required for 5 weeks, and only as and when the appropriate traffic

signs are displayed.

Chief Legal Officer, Westmorland and Furness Council, South Lakeland House, Lowther

Street, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4DQ