PRINCE Charles has been visiting South Lakeland today.

The Prince of Wales, who is patron of The Prince's Countryside Fund, first visited the Rheged Centre, near Penrith.

There he was met by a three-piece Ceilidh band, Striding Edge, which specialises in Cumbrian songs.

Band members Carolyn Francis, of Kendal, Mike Willoughby, of Ulverston and Morecambe’s Rich Middleton, greeted the Prince’s with a rousing rendition of The King’s Polka by the late Lake District fiddler, William Irwin, buried in Chapel Stile churchyard.

Carolyn said: “I felt quite a connection with history somehow, which I wasn’t expecting to feel. He also gave us a nice smile and a nod.”

The Prince was also led around the critically-acclaimed photographic exhibition A Portrait of Lakeland by Shap-based landscape photographer Ian Lawton.

Mr Lawton spent more than five years among the farmers and shepherds of the high fells and said it was “great privilege” to show the Prince around.

Mr. Lawton said it had been a special day in winning royal recognition for hill farmers.

The Prince also met with Cumbria Tourism chief Eric Robson and Staveley-based Mary Houston, who is leading on the Herdwick Project, which is a link-up between the tourist board and the Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association to promote the industry.

Mr. Robson said: “He genuinely believes in this place, the work that goes on and the lives of the people who are running this industry – you can tell it’s not a sham.”

The Prince also accepted a Kendal and Carlisle-made Bait Bag made of 100 per cent wool, British Leather and Sheffield Steel presented to him by Sedbergh-based Alison O’Neill, who linked up with Kendal-based B&B Cleasby.

Mrs O’Neill runs the Shepherdess, which offers walks, talks and tweeds. She said: “He asked if I was the shepherdess as he had heard of me, which was nice, and asked what I was doing with the wool.

"He understood that I’m trying to put the value back into wool and I told him I want to get the products to London and he said he would think about it and get in touch. He noticed the bag and said it would be a lovely gift for a woman he knew. (Camilla).

She added: “I was really nervous beforehand but when he came along it was just like speaking to an old friend – very relaxing.”

The Prince will also receive an authentic Lakeland shepherd’s crook from Ulverston-based Dennis and Linda Wall, who runs a business called Crooks And Sticks.

Torver-based Herdwick and Swaledale farmer Arnold Lancaster,  71, is featured in the photographic exhibition and shook hands with the Prince.

Mr. Lancaster quipped: “I still can’t understand how a fella of his calibre wants to me a fella like me to be honest! But it’s an honour. He was very switched on and is just an ordinary fella.”

Mr. Lancaster suggested that major land-owning bodies such as the National Trust had contributed to the decline of hill-farming in the Lake District.

 “They are joining all the little farms together and making them too big by putting three farms into one. How is a young farmer meant to start in this day and age? How can they take something of that size on?

He added: “There used to be 14 farms in Torver and there’s only three now and that tells you all you need to know.”

The future King then moved onto the Westmorland Agricultural Society Centre at Crooklands where he met members of the local community and representatives from local initiatives including the Dry Stone Walling Association and Broadband for the Rural North.

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The Prince then made the short trip bespoke furniture makers Peter Hall & Son who are based on the edge of Staveley. He was introduced to craftspeople and apprentices working on the furniture and restoration at the family-run company.

The company has more than 40 years of experience in producing high quality furniture for a range of customers, including personal commissions, restoration projects and work in situ for the National Trust.

The workshop and showroom is also a tourist destination for those travelling to the Lake District and visitors are able to see the staff at work.

In April last year HRH visited the J36 Rural Auction Centre, Crooklands to watch first sale of authentic Lakeland Herdwick lambs and tour the site.