Dodd and Bassenthwaite

A walk with friends this morning up to the viewpoint on Dodd and then down past St. Bega's to the Lake. The Skiddaw mudstones are not very flat or good for playing ducks and drakes, but we managed 2 or 3 skips with some.
The Lake District National Park's report on Bassenthwaite came out a few weeks ago. Unusually, the Park owns the Lake, and as it is supposed to be managed for it's wildlife, have put in place a number of bylaws and no-go zones to keep it tranquil. For example, any boat or fisherman needs to buy a (not very expensive) permit. Sadly, the Park's shrinking budget and lack of personnel, coupled with the increasing numbers of lake users make it difficult to  enforce against trespass into the zones or collection of fees. 
In addition there are Government expectations that as a public body, as well as encouraging biodiversity, they need to be enabling access for all and promoting alternative transport to cars. To my mind, the proposed widening of the footpath into a cycle track along the West side of the lake will further decrease tranquility, disturb wildlife and impact badly on the narrow band of unique plants and flowers associated with the water's edge.