A DATABASE has been launched in Cumbria to help planners and developers gauge the impact of developments on the natural environment.

By Kathryn Fox Forget foreign travel, Kathryn Fox finds a self-catering holiday in the Lakes the ideal getaway for a family with a toddler in tow IT IS five years sincemy last holiday ? and I now have the addition of a boisterous two-year-old son, Finn, and enough luggage to sink a small ship.

By Justine Halifax IF you're craving a relaxing break then a stay at Townson Ground in the heart of the Lake District will tick all the boxes. Peace and quiet come as a guarantee at this picturesque spot, just a short walk from Coniston Lake and just over a two hour drive from the Midlands.

STUDENTS from Durham University will take part in excavations at a 4,000-year old site at Seathwaite Tarn near Coniston in the Lake District. They will investigate ring cairns, which are mysterious archaeological sites found on the high Lakeland fells. (c) 2007 The Journal - Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

A CURRIES and Cream event will be staged in the Lake District in a bid to break down cultural and religious barriers.