ABSTRACT
Cardinal directions not only demonstrate the physical locations of places but also symbolise different and competing meanings. In England and the UK, the North/South divide reflects power dynamics and hierarchies established in London and the South. More recently, the North/South divide has become less prominent because of economic, technological and social changes. The North/South divide is generally discussed in relation to the urban realm, while the rural is often overlooked.
This chapter aims to include rural areas in the North/South divide by focusing on the Lake District, a national park in England and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site under the “cultural landscape” category. The chapter analyses some of the area’s physical and cultural elements to question its position in the North and South divide. It argues that the Lake District reflects a conflict between a landscape of culture(s) and a cultural landscape reflecting broader divide between the North and South. It is also a crossroad among various divides such as farming/tourism, working-class upper class, English/non-English and more recently, local/national/global; all make it a liminal site in the country.
