Investors hungry to own their own piece of the Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site are snapping up land, woodland and river banks well above guide prices.

Chartered surveyors, estate agents and auctioneers H&H Michael C L Hodgson said recent sales across the south of the county to a wide range of investors for, in many cases, double what had been expected.

In a recent auction, 42.5 acres of meadow and pasture land at Underbarrow sold in four lots with a total sale price of £257,000 – representing just over £6,000 per acre.

A nearby 0.75-acre woodland at Underbarrow with a guide price in excess of £10,000, finally went under the hammer for £26,000.

And H&H Michael C L Hodgson said “phenomenal” interest for just over half an acre of mature woodland and a 95 metre stretch of riverbank with fishing rights on the River Brathay close to Ambleside, resulted in the £12,000 guide price being smashed by almost double.

For Mark Barrow, associate and chartered surveyor at H&H Michael C L Hodgson, there was a key factor underpinning the strong results.

“What we are finding especially interesting is that there are many people currently looking to invest in and purchase small parcels of amenity land and woodland, as they want to secure their own piece of the Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site,” he said.

“Once again, these sales have demonstrated that land in South Cumbria and the Lake District is sought after and is attracting interest from a range of buyers, including investors, recreationalists, and neighbouring farmers who are keen to extend their acreage.

“We were very pleased with the sale of the land at Underbarrow. For land of this quality, in this area, selling at just over £6,000 per acre, was a strong result.

“Interested parties see sites such as the woodland at Underbarrow and the riverbank near Ambleside as exciting and affordable investment opportunities.”

But Mr Barrow warned that some opportunities to own a slice of the UK’s newest World Heritage Site, were becoming scarce.

“We are finding that small areas of amenity land coming onto the open market are increasingly few and far between,” he added.

Sales in the hospitality sector have also been boosted by World Heritage Site status, which was awarded to the Lake District in July last year.

Specialist commercial property firm Colliers International have said the status is driving demand, and high prices, from domestic and international buyers.

It predicted that sales would continue to defy national trends in 2018, with World Heritage Site status the weak pound, low interest rates and poorly performing savings accounts, ISAs and pension schemes, all combining.

More widely, the prestigious inscription, is expected to bring a £20 million boost to Cumbria’s economy, and attract more visitors, particularly from overseas.

Cumbria boasts two of the world’s 1,000 or so World Heritage Sites – the Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall.