Conserving Lakeland
The magazine of Friends of the Lake District | Free to members
Dam Mire
Our mission to make a bigger haven for nature and people in Threlkeld
From the Chief Executive
Welcome to this spring edition of Conserving Lakeland. I’d like to extend a particularly warm welcome to all the new members who’ve joined Friends recently (we’ve had a significant influx, which is fantastic). You’ll find an interesting mix of features in this edition, representing the wide range of work we do.
Landscape campaigning is in our blood, so you can read about our High Court battle to stop a Zip World attraction being built at Elterwater
Quarry (page 16). Our practical work on the land is equally vital, so on page 4 you can read about an exciting opportunity to protect and enhance the landscape at Dam Mire, just below Blencathra. And our lobbying work is covered on page 14, where we call for innovative new funding models to address the ‘invisible burdens’ of tourism.
Our roots are in radical activism, which is why we’re pressing for these new ideas to be considered. The grinding austerity that’s afflicted UK public finances for the past 15 years shows no sign of abating, and it’s resulted in a roughly 40% reduction in real-terms funding for the Lake District National Park.
What if we asked visitors to give a quid or two, to provide shuttle buses for each valley, new cycle routes with e-bike hire facilities, new teams of rangers to Fix the Fells and prevent littering? We could make the Lakes a truly regenerative tourist destination, where people visit because they know their small contribution will improve the place they love.
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Once you've read this magazine, please pass it on to a friend and encourage them to join us. Visit: www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/join-us or contact info@fld.org.uk | 01539 720788.
We will continue to campaign for big political change like this, while also focusing on practical work to boost biodiversity, fight climate damage, support nature-friendly farmers, challenge inappropriate developments, and connect people to this amazing landscape. However you choose to connect with this incredible place, thank you for being part of the Friends family.
Michael Hill Chief Executive
Friends of the Lake District is dedicated to protecting and enhancing Cumbria’s landscapes.
We also represent CPRE – The Countryside Charity in Cumbria.
Site of the Elterwater quarry that will become the zip wire welcome centre
Return to Dam Mire
The village of Threlkeld is home to Dam Mire Wood, a beautiful parcel of land at the foot of Blencathra that we’ve owned for the last four years. Friends of the Lake District’s land manager, Jan Darrall, brings us some exciting news about a project which aims to turn an unloved piece of land next door to the wood into a further haven for both nature and people.
We acquired Dam Mire Wood in 2021, through the generous gift of local resident and Friends of the Lake District member Professor Mike Hambrey. In the short time we’ve owned it, the land has been transformed into a welcoming retreat for all. Working with West Cumbria Rivers Trust, we’ve planted over 1,000 trees, installed leaky dams to slow the flow of water, and constructed a new access route complete with a larch bridge. We’ve also established a circular path around the site, planted wetland plug plants, and put up new bird boxes, including an owl box. On top of all of that we’ve created a new hedge, and a willow den with the help of local school children.
Dam Mire Wood is already thriving, nature is increasing, and it is becoming a favourite place for locals and visitors to walk round, sit and enjoy the stunning views. Now we’ve decided to make it even better.
In 2023 we heard that a large field immediately next door to the wood was coming up for sale. The land was the last remaining undeveloped field at this end of Threlkeld village
and had already been subject to a planning application for housing. It was clear that, if someone didn’t step in, another green space could soon be lost. We decided to buy the field, not only to save it from the threat of development, but to make our current site larger so that we could achieve even more for nature, people and the local landscape.
Threlkeld, and neighbouring Keswick, are at high risk of flooding, made worse by the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather, so we also plan to create a network of small ponds that will help slow the flow of water from the surrounding fells. The ponds will also provide new habitats for wildlife, such as newts and frogs.
Currently the land is in a poor natural state, making it difficult for wildlife to thrive. It’s boggy and wet, and lacking in natural diversity. There are some beautiful veteran trees on the site, but they’re all a similar age and won't be around forever. It also has no public access.
Our initial thoughts are to remove the fence between the existing Dam Mire Wood and the new piece of land, put in a bridge across Kilnhow Beck to enable better access, and plant some more boundary trees that will, one day, become the new veteran trees.
We want our final plans for the land to be formed by the people we hope will use it: local residents from Threlkeld, including children from the nearby primary school, Friends of the Lake District members, and other visitors. In March we held an open day and launched an online survey so people could tell us what they would like us to do.
Local kids (right) helped build the willow den
Wetland flowers bloom at Dam Mire Wood
We know there’s already a lot of love for Dam Mire and a lot of excitement about its extension. As one local resident, Sue Kiernan, recently said: “Dam Mire Wood is a haven in Threlkeld for locals, school children, dog-walkers, visitors and wanderers alike. I love sitting on the sheltered bench, right underneath Blencathra, drinking in the spectacular view of Clough Head and St John's-in-theVale as the seasons change. We are excited about what the future holds for the new piece of land with more open access and habitat creation, knowing this will be a wonderful site, not only for the present, but for future generations to enjoy.”
We really hope you’ll support us with this exciting project. Through this purchase we hope that the future of Dam Mire Wood is secured. The newly extended wood will give wildlife an even bigger and more resilient place to thrive, and give people an even more beautiful place to visit and enjoy.
Please support our Dam Mire Extension appeal today: www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/dammireappeal
You can still take part in the survey about Dam Mire by visiting www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/dammiresurvey
More about Jan...
Dr Jan Darrall has worked for Friends of the Lake District for an impressive 30 years! In this Q&A we learn a bit more about our hard-working land manager who cares for Dam Mire and all the other pieces of land that we own across Cumbria.
What first attracted you to work at Friends of the Lake District?
I was born and brought up in a rural valley in the North Lakes. We were very aware of the natural forces around us: weather, seasons, wildlife, the environment. I studied geography, fascinated by how our landscapes were created and how they were changing, and always wanted to do something to help make Lake District landscapes better and more special, and to give something back to my home patch. I also had family connections to Friends of the Lake District and was hopeful that I could have my dream job of working here one day. And in the end – it happened! What are some of your proudest achievements in the last 30 years? Some of the early major successes I remember are the Windermere 10mph
speed limit and the refusal of the Nirex underground nuclear waste site. More recent ones must include the extension of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, and the Westmorland Dales project. But, without a doubt, the best thing Friends has done in my time has been to go back into land ownership – it’s so exciting to engage people in what we are doing to make our land better for nature, the landscape, and people.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
After decades of doing core policy work on agriculture, water and the uplands, I am now the full-time manager of Friends of the Lake District’s land. It’s a funny mix of strategic work (dealing with new grant funding programmes and new policy) and work on the ground, rebuilding dry stone walls with our volunteers, for example, and dealing with contractors. It’s the engagement with the volunteers that is particularly rewarding, along with seeing new projects like Dam Mire through to fruition, and the physical differences that we can make to our land.
How to get to Dam Mire Wood
Dam Mire Wood is just off Blease Road in Threlkeld village. Postcode: CA12 4RX. You can also find the entrance gate on whatthreewords.com with serves.bonfires.goodbyes. You can reach Threlkeld village by bus which stops at Threlkeld Village Hall or the Horse & Farrier Pub. For timetables and route maps visit: stagecoachbus.com.
Dam work at Dam Mire helps slow the flow
The new land at Dam Mire is in a poor state
Jan at High Borrowdale
Chairs' Comments
The journey of William Wordsworth from early radical to staunch conservative has been the cause of much debate – and plenty of handwringing – among literary scholars. More nuanced accounts of the poet’s life find flaws in this easy reading of a complex life. Notably, Wordsworth penned his poem ‘On the Projected Kendal and Windermere Railway’ objecting to plans for the proposed new line in 1844 – at the not-soradically-young age of 74. Sure, he wrote the poem while buying shares in the railway company on the side, but it showed there were plenty of establishment figures who were willing to take up arms (or lay down stanzas, at least) in defence of the landscape they loved.
The list of ‘radical conservatives’ (or conservationists?) that lived in, loved, and found inspiration in Lakeland, is long enough to suggest there may be something in the water. Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley had an oft tricky diplomatic job juggling his campaigning work with Sunday sermons, while quasi-protégée Beatrix Potter was born of mill money, but channelled her lifetime’s work (and wealth) into conservation.
A generation later, Tom Stephenson, founder of the Pennine Way, was another campaigner who understood the sweet spot where direct action met establishment lobbying. While socialist allies undertook their Kinder Trespass, Tom worked tirelessly in Westminster building, in time, crossbench support for his ‘long green trail’. This brand of ‘radical conservatism’ came to mind after a recent meeting about Friends of the Lake District’s proposals to consider a levy to address the hidden burdens of tourism in the Lakes. At the meeting, we were told the proposals in our Who Pays for the Lake District? report were “too radical”.
Some might say they are not radical enough!
Regardless, the comment seemed to me to ignore that long history of radical conservatism – dreaming of healthier, wilder and more accessible protected landscapes – which has its roots in the Lake District.
After a rewarding 18-month stint as Chair of Friends (and after five years previous as Treasurer), I have stepped back and passed the baton to Malcolm. I will still play my role as a trustee, and in my final words for this column I would urge – as I have done before – my fellow trustees, our superb colleagues working for the charity, and those on the Lake District
Partnership, who are working now on the next five-year Management Plan for the Park – to remember the ideology and drive of Lakeland’s conservation forbears.
In an age of climate breakdown, water pollution, biodiversity crisis and heavy traffic pressure, solutions will only be found by thinking big, being brave, and recapturing the radical spirit of a golden age. Dave Felton, former Chair
It is indeed a genuine honour to be appointed to the position of Chair of Friends of the Lake District and to be given the opportunity to build on the work undertaken by the organisation since its creation in 1934, protecting the uniqueness of the Lake District in a way which recognises the need to maintain the beauty of the landscape, the needs of those who live in the area, and ensuring access for all who wish to enjoy all that a UNESCO World Heritage Site has to offer.
Dave Felton hands over the position of Chair of the Trustees to Malcolm Boswell.
My predecessor Dave Felton is a hard act to follow, and I would like to thank him for the contribution he has made over many years, both as a trustee and more recently as Chair. He has extensive knowledge of the Lake District and has willingly given many hours of his own time each week to the charity, whilst having to meet the needs of running a successful publishing business. Fortunately for us, he has agreed to stay on as a trustee and continues to share his commitment to helping us deliver our aims.
Before finally moving to the Lakes upon my retirement, my family and I were regular visitors for over 40 years. During that time I, like many others, have bagged the summits listed in Wainwright’s pictorial guides, swam in the rivers, tarns and lakes, set sail on several lakes and windsurfed when it was briefly in fashion. I even tried cycling, but the inability to walk for two days after a long day in the saddle persuaded me that the beauty of Lake District should be enjoyed on foot and not on two wheels.
We have enjoyed exploring the woodlands, countryside, disused quarries, and numerous towns and villages, each with their own unique points of interest. All of which has been enhanced by conversations, usually in a local hostelry, with those who live here.
making process in areas such as planning applications, for example. Like so many organisations that truly add value, much of this work is unseen and carried out by our team of dedicated and professional employees, complemented by our volunteers and the work of our trustees.
The above are not listed to demonstrate how active I once was, but to show that this is a special area offering a wide range of qualities which combine to provide a special experience. Ensuring that a balance is maintained between allowing others to enjoy what we have enjoyed, preserving the Lake District for future generations, and recognising the interests of those who live here, is a challenge.
It is to the credit of Friends of the Lake District that it recognises a balance needs to be struck and that it works with other organisations to achieve these aims, sharing our expertise to enhance the decision-
Whilst we are always willing to work collaboratively with others, there will inevitably be times when Friends will be forced to campaign against a decision taken by others. These occasions are rare, but the decision to approve what amounts to an adventure attraction within the old quarries at Elterwater is an obvious example of something Friends should challenge. That is not to say that we are against zip wires or adventure attractions, but we are against them when they are clearly in the wrong place. As our Prime Minister recently commented: “When you’re there,
walking around a place like Langdale Valley, when you can see the grass there every bit as green as it was 14 years ago, it’s a reminder and an inspiration that, yes, things change, and some things need to change. But some things do not.”
In the 1930s, Friends lost their legal challenge against the afforestation of large areas of the Lake District. The removal of much of what was planted by the Forestry Commission and replanting with native woodlands shows that, although we did not win the legal challenge at the time, we were 100% correct. When our challenge by way of Judicial Review against the visitor attraction at Elterwater is heard, I trust that the Judge will fully consider the lasting damage that a decision to uphold the planning consent will cause to an already heavily utilised part of the Lake District.
Malcolm Boswell, Chair
Autumn at Elterwater © Jonny Gios
Regenerative Farming in Action
Gowbarrow Farm in Watermillock, Ullswater, is home to Claire and Sam Beaumont who, over the last seven years, have transformed their family farm into a haven for nature. Interview by Dawn Groundsell.
Claire and Sam Beaumont have farming in their blood: Claire grew up on her family’s farm in Watermillock, Ullswater, and Sam helped out on his great uncle’s farm in Derbyshire. They both studied engineering at university and worked in the renewable energy sector in London, where they met. But both wanted to get out of the office, so decided to bring their young family to Cumbria to run Claire’s parents’ farm in 2017.
Claire takes up the story:
“It was my family’s farm, my Granda bought it in the ‘70s. We had Swaledale sheep. When Sam and I came back we had no intention
of completely changing the way we farmed, but we realised that the sheep were not making a profit, and our system was not great for the environment either. It was reliant on subsidies, and we were spreading a lot of fertilizer and having to import a lot of feed to get the lambs to the right size for auction.
In 2018 we started to have a bit of a rethink. We still wanted to farm and produce food, but we wanted to do it in a sustainable way, and it needed to make sense financially. We met Caroline Grindrod of Wilderculture, who helps upland farmers change to regenerative farming. She helped us to come up with a farm plan.
Regenerative farming means always looking to improve the environmental system from the soil upwards – if you look after your soil, everything above it will improve.
We did a lot of research into which breeds of animal would thrive overwintering outside in the Cumbrian climate. The answer: breeds that would have been farmed here historically. We now have a herd of 80 pedigree beef shorthorn cattle, a small group of Cumbrian fell ponies, and Kunekune pigs.
For us, overwintering means the animals eat only the plants they can forage outside on the farm, so we’re not having to pay for feed. We use a small quantity of our own homemade hay during March and April to keep the cows full before the spring grass starts growing.
In 2017/18 the farm had fertilizer sprayed on it three times a year. Now we don’t spray any fertilizer, herbicides or pesticides as we've realised the damage this does to our soil and ecosystem. We don’t remove nettles or thistles either, because thistles are a favourite nectar for the dark green fritillary butterfly, and cows seek out the nettles for their high nutrient density, especially after giving birth.
Gowbarrow Hill Farm, which is home to Sam and Claire Beaumont (pictured right)
Fritillary butterfly
From mid-spring to mid-autumn, the cows are mob grazed (short duration, high-density grazing) in our meadows, which we refer to as our ‘summer block’. We have a block of rough grazing, wood pasture and woodland slightly higher up than our meadows, which is left to grow while the herd is in the summer block. This is our ‘winter block’, where the cattle graze in the winter.
This mob grazing mimics roaming herds you see in nature, where stock may only visit a certain area for a short time before moving on. The impact the cows have on each field stirs up insects to feed the birds and opens up the grass to allow for variety in the pasture.
The long rest periods between grazing allows the grass and plants to grow, flower and go to seed. The farm has gone from between three to four species of wildflowers per square metre, to up to 15 per square metre. Among the flourishing wildflowers is Devil’s-bit scabious, the only food source for the caterpillars of the threatened marsh fritillary butterfly. Grass-of-parnassus now also grows at Gowbarrow. This is the official flower of Cumbria which used to be common all over the county. The rotational grazing also breaks all the parasite life cycles so we haven’t had to worm anything for five years.
The fell ponies are also key grazers, adapted to eat the hardest of plants,
like rushes and thistles, that cattle will only nibble. Having ponies to eat these rougher plants means no plant dominates and this keeps a diverse range of species in our meadows. Cows and ponies have different dung, and this diversity in dung provides fertility in our soil and supports a range of plants and the insects that break it down. Dung beetles enjoy pony dung as it is drier and therefore easier for them to inhabit. We don’t give the ponies any routine medicines which would be harmful to the invertebrates that enjoy the dung so much! Seeds also survive better through the digestive system of ponies, so their dung acts as seed bombs, distributing diversity further across the farm.
Kunekune pigs are a hardy breed, native to New Zealand. They live outside all year round and we feed them very little, letting them choose what they need nutritionally. They have a huge area to roam, although they tend to stay in our ancient oak plantation, where they gorge themselves on acorns. Kunekunes will happily munch on grass as well as root, and their short snouts mean that, unlike larger breeds, they don’t totally plough up a field when they root.
These days, we produce quite a lot of beef and some veg on the farm. We sell the beef nationwide, mainly direct to customers and some restaurants. We eat our own veg and sell some locally to the Quiet Site
campsite in Ullswater. Volunteers regularly come to help out in our community vegetable garden. Tuesday is volunteer day, led by a GP who realised how beneficial being outside and growing things is for people’s mental health. We’ve also started a new venture making purses and handbags from cow hides.
We’ve planted at least 10,000 trees and are planning to return more of the land to wood pasture. We plant young trees grouped together in pens amongst thorny plants to protect them from browsing rabbits, hares, and deer.
We’ve also planted new hedgerows. Many hedges have been taken out since the ‘50s to make way for bigger fields and bigger machinery. But hedges are a haven for wildlife and are good for the livestock too, providing shelter for the cattle, shade in the summer, and protection from wind. Cows also love browsing along
Tress pens protect new trees from grazing animals. The farm is now home to cattle, fell ponies (right) and Kunekune pigs (below)
the hedge at any time of year. The hedgerow is appealing because the soil is so good. It’s also why the grass along the path is so green because there’s mycorrhizal fungus in the soil (a fungus that lives among roots and helps plants absorb more nutrients), which thrives when the soil hasn’t been ploughed or disturbed.
Alongside all of this, we host courses and visit local schools to spread the word about regenerative farming. We also host visits from school children staying at the Outward Bound Centre.
Hippocrates is attributed with the famous quote “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
We believe the key to healthy food is healthy soil, so everything we do at Gowbarrow is working towards this: to create healthier food for healthier humans.”
Friends of the Lake District’s Hedge Laying Competition and training events will be held at Gowbarrow Farm in January and February 2026.
Hedgerow Updates
Hedge Laying Competition
22 hedge layers took part in Friends of the Lake District’s annual Hedge Laying competition on Saturday 8th February 2025 at Low Sizergh Farm, near Kendal. Hedge layers from the local area and across the north-west gathered to show off this traditional craft, attracting many onlookers throughout the day. The winners were chosen by local Lyth Valley based farmers and hedge layer judges, Dave Black and Trevor Sharp. Best Hedge of the Day went to Peter Gibson from Kendal. The full list of results can be found on our website.
Training
This year’s competition followed two hedge laying training days run in partnership with the Lancashire and Westmorland Hedge Laying Association and the National Hedge Laying Society, teaching new entrants and increasing the skill levels of hedge laying contractors. We’ve also been running a series of training sessions for farmers, landowners and land managers who are thinking about applying for grants to plant, restore or lay hedgerows. The free training days looked at how to go about surveying hedges and developing a plan to manage them in rotation.
Defra Letter
We were disappointed to hear that there had been a freeze to capital grants from Defra – including hedge laying,
coppicing and planting. It’s a huge step backwards that will damage chances of preventing further hedgerow loss. Our CEO Michael Hill wrote to Defra in January 2025 expressing our concerns: “From our direct engagement with farmers across Cumbria we know the Capital Grant freeze has impacted many businesses – for example, hedge whip orders cancelled, hedge layers having winter jobs cancelled and many farmers, who really want to improve their hedgerow resource for land resilience and livestock welfare, are now stalling.”
Hedge Planting
Volunteers have helped us plant new hedgerows at an alpaca farm near Keswick. Ullswater Catchment Management Community Interest Company, which works with farmers and landowners to improve the natural environment through practical projects, secured grant funding for the conservation work on Alpacaly Ever After's land. Friends of the Lake District then co-ordinated two volunteering days in October 2024 to kick-start the new hedge planting on the farm, and then held another day in March 2025 to help finish the job.
Emma Smalley of Alpacaly Ever After and Basecamp North Lakes said: “We were so delighted that Friends of the Lake District and all the volunteers helped us take on our huge hedgeplanting mission! We are determined to ensure that Basecamp has the greatest possible environmental and community impact, and the hedge planting days will be such a great contribution towards our goals. Our alpacas certainly enjoyed welcoming everyone to the site, and so did we!”
Peter Gibson
Hedge planting volunteer
Sam with the Kunekune pigs
Rare Grass-of-parnassus, the flower of Cumbria
Fix the Fells
Fix the Fells is a partnership that helps repair and maintain 344 of the many upland paths which criss-cross the Lake District landscape. The partnership is made up of the National Trust, the Lake District National Park Authority, Natural England, the Lake District Foundation, and Friends of the Lake District. In this Q&A with Fix the Fells’ Partnership Manager, Isabel Berry, we find out more about their vital work.
Tell us a bit about the history of Fix the Fells.
Back in the ‘80s, plenty of the popular walking routes were in a very bad state. For example, the path from Wasdale Head to the top of Scafell Pike had the scars on Brown Tongue which were visible from the sea. These scars had come about through erosion caused by several factors; the steep gradient of the fells, the flow of water down the fells and the volume of footfall. There were a few ranger teams who did ad-hoc repair work but with the knowledge that the problem needed a more strategic approach, funding was secured to set up Fix the Fells in 2001.
What are some of the challenges the fells face?
With the climate crisis, we're getting more and more instances of severe rainfall. When you get an increase in the volume of water like that, it has
massive erosive power. That's coupled with very dry conditions at other times when exposed soil cracks and shrinks. As soon as it rains, the soil is washed away, and so you can have a very rapid change in the state of a path. Meanwhile, the number of people coming to enjoy the Lakes is continuing to grow. We’re seeing a shift in the hotspots, from the traditional routes on the big mountains, to the smaller, more accessible fells. It's great that people are going out and enjoying the landscape, because that's how you come to appreciate it and what makes you want to care for it. But of course, if lots and lots of people visit an area, the path gets eroded, then it’s not such a beautiful place to visit.
How many rangers do you have working for you, and what do they do?
We employ four teams of professional upland rangers, with four ranger posts in each team. They work across the Lakes, roughly divided between the northern, southern, eastern, and western areas. We also have a volunteer development ranger. Our volunteers look after the day-to-day maintenance of the paths, while our professional rangers deal with the bigger problems. Rangers typically start around seven in the morning and spend a bit of time in the office getting ready for the day before setting off to whatever site they’re working on. This can involve
driving to a point and then walking for maybe an hour or so, sometimes carrying tools with them. Depending on the job, they’ll dig holes and cut turf and handle large bits of stone the size of a hill walker’s backpack. They repair the paths, build drains and stone pitched steps, and do some landscaping to help people stick to the path so they don't cause more erosion by deviating from it. At the end of the day, they need to make the site safe for people passing by, before walking back down and returning to base to hang up their gear. On a summer’s day it can be the best job in the world, but on a typically wet Lake District day, it can be substantially harder!
How are you funded?
There’s no statutory funding for erosion repair work on paths up in the fells, so we need to raise around three quarters of a million pounds annually to support our work. Working with our partners, fundraising is vital and we rely on the support of the public to keep on doing what we do.
You can find out more about Fix the Fells, including how to volunteer for them, on their website www. fixthefells.co.uk. Friends of the Lake District will be sponsoring a Fix the Fells ranger for two years. Watch out for news of who they are, where they’re based, and the great work they’re doing to improve access on the fells and reduce erosion in future issues of Conserving Lakeland.
Photo: Volunteers on Fleetwith Pike, Buttermere, in 2023. Friends of the Lake District supports Fix the Fells' work via its annual Fell Care Day volunteer events.
Redundant Reservoirs… and what to do with them
As United Utilities prepares to decommission a number of reservoirs, Friends of the Lake District’s policy officer, Amanda McCleery, looks at the opportunities and challenges that transformations to these well-known bodies of water present.
Friends of the Lake District has always campaigned against the use of the Lake District for water abstraction (taking drinking water), whether that’s the physical construction of reservoirs or abstractions from the lakes themselves. We’ve always been concerned about the landscape damage done by damming natural lakes and valleys, in terms of the engineered structures and unsightly tide lines when water levels are low.
In recent years, with water being moved around the network more, the need to comply with legislation (such as the Water Framework Directive) and reduce asset liability, some reservoirs have become redundant. This, with the removal of associated man-made infrastructure, is quite a rare opportunity. While we’re aware that some of the benefits will take
significant time to come to fruition, the work offers a chance to make tangible differences to the landscape.
In 2014, when we commented on plans to remove the dam at Hayeswater and return it to a tarn, we looked for proposals which would appear natural in the landscape and include public access. In 2023, we commented on initial proposals to decommission Crummock Water as a reservoir. We also attended dropin events, had site visits, met United Utilities and had discussions with other partner agencies, such as West Cumbria Rivers Trust and Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
There are many opportunities to be had in removing reservoir infrastructure from the landscape. With concrete dams, wave walls and pump houses all removed, and
once the shoreline is covered over with vegetation, these bodies of water should feel more part of the natural landscape. Habitats will be created, with the width of the shoreline increased and marsh and reed beds expanded. Assuming streams flowing into and out of the lake are re-wiggled, then water flow can be slowed which is beneficial in terms of water management and the mitigation of downstream flood risk. There may also be opportunities for new public access, and perhaps opportunities for hydro energy, such
Crummock Water © Lewis Thompson and Hayeswater (right)
as at Hayeswater, where the National Trust runs a micro hydro plant.
We’re aware, however, that there are plenty of challenges in removing such infrastructure from the landscape. There are the visual impacts of an exposed, unvegetated shore and tideline in the shortterm, for example, coupled with the need for wildlife to adapt to these habitat changes. With climate change, downstream communities worry about flooding, while decommissioned reservoirs cannot then be used in times of drought.
As water levels fall, existing fencing to the water’s edge would need to be changed. Lakeshore paths could become permanently closed, either because they are unnecessary now the public can walk on the newly exposed shore, or because they are impractical if input streams become braided with multiple channels.
The lakes in all their forms, be they reservoirs or not, are cherished by local residents and visitors. People have long enjoyed walks around and views down to them from the summits, and recently there has been a significant growth in wild swimming and paddle boarding. Any proposed changes to bodies of water in the area are naturally viewed with concern, and we’re aware that some Friends members, and other members of the public, are particularly worried about various impacts in relation to Crummock Water.
We’re now waiting for detailed planning applications on United Utilities’ proposals to remove infrastructure at Crummock, Over Water and Chapelhouse reservoirs, with Ennerdale Water following in five years or so. In responding to any proposals, we’ll be pushing for improvements that work best for the landscape, address the visual impact of lower water levels, ensure the recolonisation of the new shorelines by vegetation, and have improved access so that people can continue to enjoy these magnificent lakes long into the future.
Bathing ConsultationWaters
Bathing waters are officially designated outdoor swimming sites, of which there are now 16 in Cumbria. They are monitored by Environment Agency (EA) and water-quality testing enables councils to inform the public of any health risks and to identify improvements needed. There have been changes in how and where people use bathing waters since the 2013 Bathing Water Regulations were introduced, so Defra is seeking views on proposed reforms and Friends of the Lake District has responded to this consultation.
Currently, if a designated site is classified as ‘poor’ for five consecutive years, it automatically loses its bathing water status. We’re against a proposal that this deadline should be removed, as it is there to encourage rapid improvement in water quality by water companies – action that the public is urgently demanding.
We are also concerned that Defra’s proposed amendments to water
quality sampling are driven more by saving money than by science. We believe that there is a strong case for EA to test for more pollutants, such as ‘forever chemicals’ and drugs. There has been a significant increase in wild swimming, paddle boarding and canoeing in the Lake District, even through the winter. We therefore feel some sites require year-round testing, rather than just in the summer which happens now. We agree with the proposal to expand the definition of ‘bathers’ to include other water users, such as rowers and surfers for example.
The public is entitled to safe and clean bathing waters. We want a government target that all bathing waters become ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, rather than simply ‘sufficient’. With more bathing water sites likely in the future, it is vital that EA is properly funded and staffed, so public safety and water quality of bathing waters are prioritised.
Photo: Wild swimming in Windermere © Kate Willshaw
Policy and Planning News
Who Pays for the Lake District Webinar
In November 2024 we published the report Who Pays for the Lake District? by sustainable tourism specialist Dr Davina Stanford. The report identifies where tourism is having a negative impact on the Lake District National Park’s landscape, environment and communities, and looks at how different tourist destinations across Europe deal with similar issues. The report also examines the ways that local authorities could raise money connected to tourism to make a positive difference to the area.
Publication of the report was intended to spark debate about the issues, and as part of this conversation we held an online webinar in January 2025 which gave people an opportunity to learn more about the report and ask questions in relation to it.
Dr Stanford opened the webinar, outlining the contents of her report and exploring some of the case studies within it. Friends of the Lake District’s CEO Michael Hill then discussed the Lake District National Park specifically. He began by recognising the importance of tourism in the area and tackled concerns that any kind of
visitor levy would negatively impact this industry, noting that there is little evidence that a levy would lead to a decline in visitors or the money spent by them.
Friends of the Lake District’s policy officer, Kate Willshaw, then posed questions from those watching the webinar to Dr Stanford and Michael Hill. Topics included how one might define who ‘a visitor’ is, how any charge would affect people who live in Cumbria but outside the National Park, and how a vehicle charge might affect disabled travellers.
Asked how the tourism industry in Cumbria could be convinced of the need for a visitor levy, Michael Hill said: “The best incentive of all would be if we made the Lake District a more attractive destination [to visit]. In my view we could be the greenest, most regenerative tourist destination in the world, if we really lean into this, and that could help people decide to come here. The corollary of that is, if we do nothing, maybe numbers will start to decline, because the visitor experience will start to degrade, and nobody
Yealand Pupils take Dark Skies Action
Inspired by a talk by our Dark Skies officer, Jack Ellerby, the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape team designed an educational engagement programme for young people which explored links between biodiversity and light pollution. Having taken
part in the programme, pupils from Yealand Church of England Primary School produced their own pin badges encouraging lights to be switched off when not in use, and wrote to their local parish councils and MPs asking them to help tackle light pollution. Yealand Primary School then decided to change all the lighting around their building and worked with Mike Monaghan at Light Library to ensure it was Dark Sky compliant. The new lighting produces less glare and casts downwards, preventing light spill up into the sky or outside the school grounds, while the warm light also reduces impacts on wildlife active after
wants that. The best incentive would be brilliant new buses, brilliant new services, brilliant new cycle paths, and a sense that every visit here helps regenerate this beautiful place.”
The webinar was the first in a number of discussions about this topic that Friends of the Lake District will be having in the coming months, and we’ll bring you further updates in future issues of Conserving Lakeland. You can watch the full webinar on our YouTube channel @friendsofthelakes.
dark, such as bats, insects and moths. Timers, motion sensors and dimming switches mean the lights are only on when needed to minimise energy costs, carbon emissions and wildlife impacts. Kathryn Brown, Head Teacher at Yealand School, said: “The new lights have made a massive difference. They give a lovely warm colour, allow us to move around all the paths and playgrounds at night, and we feel proud to be protecting the local wildlife and dark skies of the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape.” Join us for the Big Switch-Offs in Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick. See the events page for more details.
Yealand school playground
News in Brief
Roanhead
The application for a holiday park development at Roanhead will be determined by Westmorland and Furness Strategic Planning Committee at which we plan to speak. The date has not yet been confirmed. A petition set up by the campaign group Save Roanhead recently reached over 10,000 signatures against the plans (visit www.saveroanhead.com for more information).
Brockholes Farm
An application has been submitted for a wild animal visitor attraction in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, close to its boundary with the Lake District National Park. The development would introduce new overnight accommodation and new buildings and structures, including a 6.5m-tall giraffe enclosure. Working closely with our neighbours at Friends of the Dales, we have responded to the application and raised concern that the assessments submitted by the applicant underestimate the likely impacts of the development on local landscape and highways. The application is currently being considered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and a decision is expected in March.
Ullock Moss Car Park
The latest planning application for a car park at Ullock Moss, near Cat Bells, is yet to be decided. We have objected to the proposals on grounds of harm to
the landscape, special qualities and the cultural heritage of the Lake District National Park and World Heritage Site. The development also conflicts with local plan policies and the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA)’s stated vision and aims relating to sustainable travel. The application will be determined by the LDNPA Development Control Committee, at which we plan to speak. The date of the meeting is not yet confirmed.
National Planning Policy Framework
In December, the Government published the updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which guides development in England. This followed a consultation earlier in 2024 where we provided comments and suggestions on the draft. We are disappointed to see that the Government has implemented its proposals to change the way housing need is calculated. This will result in significant increases in housing targets across Cumbria (an increase of over 300% in Cumberland and over 500% in Westmorland and Furness), resulting in additional development pressures on the countryside. We are however pleased to see a requirement for a vision-led
approach to transport and highways, although further guidance is needed to understand how this will be delivered in practice. For more information on our response to the NPPF please visit the Current Issues section of our website.
Ofgem Consultation
We recently responded to an Ofgem consultation on future priorities for electricity companies to address both climate change and growing consumer demand. Recent Storm Éowyn brought widespread damage to the electricity network, yet underground cables are unaffected by such extreme weather. To increase climate resilience, we called for an expansion to the undergrounding programme – to include all new overhead lines in protected landscapes and those in the wider countryside. We stressed that such an expansion in the undergrounding programme will also benefit the landscape. Read more about our response on our website.
Want to stay up to date with everything we’re up to?
Make sure you’ve signed up to our monthly email newsletter Postcard from the Lakes. You can do this by visiting www.friendsofthelakedistrict. org.uk and filling in the newsletter sign-up form at the bottom of our homepage.
Undergrounding work in action © Electricity North West
Site of proposed car park at Ullock Moss
A View from Elterwater
Last year, Friends of the Lake District sought a judicial review of the decision to grant planning permission for a zip wire attraction in the Langdale Valley. Christian Lisseman speaks to a local resident about why the legal action is necessary.
“I love the scenery here,” says Malcolm Lamb, as we walk around the village of Elterwater. “It’s a beautiful spot and there are some great facilities around. It's easy to walk up into the hills from where I live. The common is often busy with cars but, up in the fells, it’s easy to get away from people.”
Malcolm, who has family connections to Cumbria, moved to the Langdale Valley nine years ago when he retired from his job as an air traffic controller in Scotland. A few years after arriving in the village, he learned of the plans to turn the nearby slate quarry into a zip wire visitor attraction. His immediate reaction was one of horror.
“It’s just not the place to do something like this,” he says. “For a start, there’s the actual site of the quarry itself. No one's going to say that it's a pretty place, it's a scar on the landscape which can be seen from a long way away. But the planning permission for the quarry expires in 2042, and by that time that site should be effectively returned to nature according to an approved plan. This new planning permission means that requirement has been effectively removed for the sake of a leisure facility.”
The second, and perhaps most pressing issue that Malcolm has with the application, is its impact on the
wider area, particularly the number of additional cars that will inevitably end up parking on Elterwater common.
“The verges on the common are already being destroyed and this is just going to get worse,” says Malcolm, pointing out places where cars are, even now on a chilly afternoon in mid-February, parked at the side of the road, wearing away the grass on the common and in effect creating places which look, to visitors, like lay-bys. “It’ll be a big negative impact exacerbating an already difficult situation as far as cars go.”
When the decision to grant planning permission for the quarry attraction was made last year, a lot of weight was given to the transport plan which aims to mitigate some of the issues around cars coming to the area. The Planning Committee had previously rejected proposals at the quarry,
largely because the increase in traffic could choke the area's narrow, singletrack lanes, already under pressure from the high number of visitors. Friends of the Lake District believes the revised travel plans submitted by the developers remain inadequate. “99% of people are going to be coming by car to this attraction and that's that,” insists Malcolm. “It's just fanciful that any kind of transport
Local resident Malcolm Lamb
Cars parked on common © Malcolm Lamb
plan will make any difference. They’re estimating around 50 to 60 thousand visitors a year, but Zip World is a commercial company, so it’ll want as many people as possible to come and use the site.”
Malcolm’s other concern about the development centres around his wider dissatisfaction with the way the National Park itself has changed in the last decade or so.
“There seems to be an emphasis on a need to attract ever more people to the Park,” he says, “and in order to do that, a feeling that the Park has to change to attract a different style of tourist.”
It’s a philosophy Malcolm profoundly disagrees with.
“The National Park was established primarily ‘To conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area.’ The Park should be accessible to anyone to enjoy it for what it is, but I strongly feel that it should not have to change its character in order to attract people who ordinarily would not want to visit.
“The National Park Authority seems to want to expand the already large number of people coming to the
Park, when there's no infrastructure in place to accommodate them –and neither should there be. I don’t want a dual carriageway in place between Ambleside and Elterwater. I like the twisty road, it’s part of the character, but it's not designed for the amount of traffic that’s using it, let alone the traffic that will use it if this development takes place.”
Leaving the village, we follow the narrow road uphill to the gates of the old quarry. One of the arguments for using the site for the Zip World attraction is that it will help celebrate the slate mining heritage of the area, something contested by Friends of the Lake District and many others, including Malcolm.
“Of course, quarrying is part of the heritage of this area,” he says. “It’s a huge part of this area and has been since Neolithic times and it does need to be celebrated, but don't pretend that a zip wire attraction is going to do that.”
After plans for the attraction were passed, Malcolm considered asking for a judicial review himself, but lacked the legal know-how and the money to do so. “I was surprised and really pleased when I found out that Friends of the Lake District was applying for a judicial review on this,” he says.
“Regardless of how successful the charity is in this action, it’s important that the issue is highlighted. If the legal action fails to change the outcome, then we need to make sure that the developers are held to account on all the promises they made and adhere to the restrictions that came with the planning consent. Whatever the result, there needs to be pressure on the National Park Authority to do something to improve the area around Elterwater and deal with the problems of traffic coming here.”
The judicial review is due to take place at the end of April. Make sure you sign up to our monthly Postcard from the Lakes email newsletter to stay up to date. Visit www. friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk and sign up at the bottom of the homepage.
Why we sought a judicial review
We recognise that sometimes we will be disappointed by planning decisions made by the Lake District National Park Authority. However, our members and supporters expect us to step in when the landscape is at risk of damage. In this case, we truly believe the decision to grant planning permission for the Elterwater development is wrong and will threaten the tranquillity of this treasured landscape. We’re not alone. Nearly 90,000 people signed a petition against initial proposals for the site, and countless others, including the Lakes Parish Council, have spoken out against it.
The judicial review will test the lawfulness of the decisionmaking process connected to this development based on a number of factors including, among others, the proposed travel plan and the adherence to the Sandford Principle which states: ‘Where irreconcilable conflicts exist between conservation and public enjoyment in National Parks, then conservation interest should take priority.’
If you’d like to support our campaign to protect and enhance Cumbrian and Lake District landscapes, please make a donation to our Fighting Fund appeal. Visit www.friendsofthelakedistrict. org.uk/fighting-fund
Big News for Little Asby
Friends of the Lake District’s land manager, Jan Darrall, rounds up some of the latest news from the land we look after across Cumbria.
The Environment Agency has decided to accept Sunbiggin Tarn, which sits on the edge of Little Asby Common, into their Lakes Surveillance monitoring programme. We own a third of the tarn and, over the last 20 years, we have sought to try and find out why its water chemistry is changing and what, if anything, could or should be done. The Environment Agency will be doing monthly water chemistry sampling from the shoreline, phytoplankton and macrophyte surveys in the summer months, and environmental DNA analysis in the winter. We look forward to learning more about this special and unusual tarn.
Over in Mazonwath, on the other side of Little Asby Common, we’ve had some more exciting news. Cumbria Wildlife Trust, with funding from the lottery and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, approached us to take part in the Cumbria Seed Bank Project, which is working with Kew Gardens and their Millennium Seed Bank.
The seed bank was set up in 2023 with the aim of preserving the genetic diversity of native plants species, both common and rare. Many of the once-common wildflowers found in our grasslands and wider countryside are disappearing, and half of Britain's native plants have declined over the past 20 years. The aim of the project is therefore to work with farmers and landowners to build strongholds of less-common species and reintroduce rare plants in suitable locations, so that these wildflower species are not lost forever.
The idea at Mazonwath is to plant rare hay meadow wildflowers to create a stronghold that will provide a source of future seed if needed, and to increase the presence of these wonderful plants in the area.
Meanwhile, after 20 years of hoping and asking, Electricity North West (ENW) has confirmed that the electricity lines that cross Little Asby Common are to be placed underground next year. This wonderful landscape, with its tarn, meadows and limestone pavements, is a breathtaking place to visit, but the stunning views have been marred by the poles that march across it and the wires that stretch between them.
Not only will the undergrounding of wires improve the views from the common, but it will also make the electricity supply more resilient in the face of storms and other extreme weather.
Elsewhere on our land, we’re involved in another fascinating project with the
organisation Plantlife, looking at how we can improve the management and resilience of the UK’s remaining Atlantic rainforests. Surveys of our own woodland, such as Resp Haw and Bull Coppice woods in the Rusland Valley, have identified plant species indicative of these rainforests.
Like their warmer counterparts –the Amazon rainforests – Atlantic or temperate rainforests grow where there is a lot of rain and where it is mild and humid, so usually the west coast of England and Scotland. They are internationally important for their lichens and bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) but these areas of woodland face a range of threats from site-specific issues such as invasive plant species, grazing by deer, tree disease, air pollution and climate change.
We’ll bring you more news about our work with Plantlife in the next issue of Conserving Lakeland, and in my regular Land Manager’s Diary which is published on our website.
Oxeye daisy at Mazonwath hay meadow
Membership Matters
We have lots of events planned for our members across 2025, from inperson talks, guided walks, and our new monthly Wednesday webinars series which launches in April. Although you may not see regular ‘member meets’ in the calendar, there are even more opportunities for you to meet with us, and each other, to explore how we can all work together to protect and enhance these fantastic Cumbrian landscapes. We’re also opening up our former ‘Leaders Landscape Training’ as free training events for members to attend (there’s a small fee for non-members) so you can explore a whole host of topics that impact the landscapes we all love. Find out more about our Learning about Landscapes events on pages 20-21.
We had a tremendous response to our 2025 Membership Survey. Thank you so much for all your feedback. You'll see we're already taking some of your suggestions on board with our new webinar series (launching in April) and more events happening on evenings and weekends. We're now collating your responses and will feedback on the full results in the next issue of Conserving Lakeland.
Volunteer Spotlight
Many people join us week after week for our regular land workparties, but not all our volunteers are able to help us in person. Some, like Basak Tanulku, give us their time and support even though they live some distance away – in this case Turkey!
How long have you volunteered for Friends of the Lake District and what kind of things do you do?
I first volunteered with Friends of the Lake District some years ago while I was conducting my PhD research studies at Lancaster University. I remember joining a group to help fix some dry stone walls. More recently, I transcribed several interviews for the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership and the project ‘Our Common Heritage’ (2022-2023). I’m now planning to help with some data work for the recent survey on woodlands.
Why do you volunteer for Friends of the Lake District?
I fell in love with the Lake District when I first saw it as a new student at Lancaster University. It’s good to know that my volunteer work can help sustain this wonderful landscape’s characteristics.
to visit since 2019, I have been actively following news and changes in the area. In 2024, I published a chapter in a book I co-edited ‘Liminality, Transgression and Space across the world: Being, Living and Becoming(s) against, across and with borders and boundaries’ (published by Routledge). I’m also the secretary of the Urban Geography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society.
What’s special about the Lake District and Cumbrian landscapes to you?
Friends of the Lake District's AGM will be held in Penrith on Saturday 20th September. More details in the next issue of Conserving Lakeland.
What do you do when you’re not volunteering for us?
Since I got my PhD degree in sociology, I have been working as an independent scholar focussing on various issues. I am working on a new kind of assessment method of wilderness, to search for a balance between the natural and cultural elements of the Lake District. Even though I have not had the chance
Thanks to our Benefactors
I found inner peace in the Lake District. It’s beautiful, isolated, serene and peaceful.
Tell us something else about yourself.
I like outdoor activities such as gardening, walking and hiking, and I like activities around antiques and retro stuff. Also anything about food (I’m a vegetarian) and home. Finally, I have a dog called Titan.
We are extremely grateful to our Benefactor Members for their continued support: John Berry, James Brockbank and Louise Ronane, John Campbell, Richard Coates, Philip Cropper, Margaret Haigh, John Harris, Peter Hughes KC, John and Margaret Jackson, Brian Leigh-Bramwell, Rosamund Macfarlane, Taysia and Matt Malone, Jim and Sue Martin, and Elizabeth Reddaway.
Basak with her dog Titan
Events
For more information about any of these activities, and to book, visit www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/ events or contact the Friends of the Lake District admin team on 01539 720788.
Big Switch-Offs
Friday 28 th March
Map-marker-alt Ambleside and Grasmere
Monday 28 th April
Map-marker-alt Keswick
Part of the Dark Skies Cumbria initiative led by Friends of the Lake District and supported by partner organisations and communities, these fascinating evening events highlight the value of reducing light pollution and, weather permitting, will give everyone a chance to gaze up into a star-laden sky.
Great Cumbrian Litter Pick
Friday 4 th April
& Saturday 5 th April
This annual county-wide event brings people together to take community action for a cleaner Cumbria. Whether litter picking whilst you walk in the fells, or joining an organised litter pick event, it's easy for everyone to get involved. Register your litter pick with us on our website.
Ullswater Talk
Thursday 1st May
Map-marker-alt Parkin Memorial Hall, Pooley Bridge (and on Zoom)
A partnership event with Friends of Ullswater Way, part of their Understanding Ullswater evening talks. Our CEO will share his vision for the future of the Lake District and we'll look at our nature conservation project based in the local area.
Dry Stone Walling Competition
Saturday 24 th May
Map-marker-alt Leighton Hall, Carnforth In partnership with Arnside & Silverdale National Landscape Bringing competitors from across the country to showcase this traditional craft. A brilliant day out for all the family, whether you’re attending as a competitor or spectator.
Learning about Landscapes
Deepen your understanding of Cumbria’s landscapes with these outdoor sessions. The walks will be moderate and suitable for most walkers, but please contact us if you have any questions. Free for members. £5 for non-members.
Rocks & Glacial Features
Tuesday 6 th May
Map-marker-alt Langdale Valley
Join expert Stephen Mott on this walk-and-talk session to learn about the hard rock geology of the central Lake District and its impact on present day landscapes.
Understanding Tranquillity
Wednesday 4th June
Map-marker-alt The Helm, Kendal
Join members of our staff team on an exploration of tranquillity using the landscape of The Helm near Kendal.
Common Land
Tuesday 10 th June
Map-marker-alt Little Asby Common Join members of our staff team on a walk across one of the most important limestone landscapes in England to discuss common land, its management, and its role in protected landscapes.
Photo: © Jonny Gios
The Helm Open Day
Saturday 5th July
Map-marker-alt The Helm, Kendal
Family open day on The Helm, with a basecamp at the Station Inn, Oxenholme. This will be an opportunity to learn about our conservation work, join guided walks, take part in family activities, storytelling and crafts, try your hand at conservation volunteering and meet the fell ponies.
Morecambe Bay Walk 2025
Saturday 16 th August
Join us on this unique sponsored walk across the sands of Morecambe Bay to raise money to protect Lake District and Cumbrian landscapes. This wonderful walk takes you across the largest expanse of tidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, led by an official guide. The roughly seven-and-a-halfmile walk is suitable for anyone who is comfortable walking over uneven terrain for three to four hours (and who doesn’t mind getting a little bit wet).
Booking is essential so reserve your place now: www. friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/ mbw25 or call 01539 720788.
Guided Walks
Our popular monthly guided walk programme runs from April to September. Please see our website for dates and booking details. Free for members. £5 for non-members.
Volunteer Workparties
Our programme of volunteer workparties is available on our website and now includes some weekend opportunities. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome to come along and join us. You may get wet and muddy, but there'll be cake, laughs and some wonderful scenery.
Wednesday Webinars
Our new lunchtime webinar series gives members and supporters time to learn more about our work and put questions to the experts. Fourth Wednesday of each month, 12.30pm-1.30pm.
Kirby Lecture
Friends of the Lake District's annual Kirby Lecture took place on Friday 11th October 2024 at the University of Cumbria's Percival Lecture Theatre, Ambleside. The event took the form of a panel discussion imagining what the future of the Lake District National Park may look like in 2051, when it reaches its 100 th year. It focussed on the hopes, fears and visions for three elements that impact the Lake District landscape: farming, tourism, and people. Chair Fiona Reynolds guided us through the debate. She was joined by James Robinson from Strickley Farm near Kendal, Daniel Holder from The Quiet Site in Ullswater, and Claire Bryant from The Outdoor Partnership. As well as telling us about their work and their visions for the future of the Lake District, the panel took questions from a packed audience on everything from farming and nature, to housing, employment and tourism. Watch the full lecture on our YouTube channel @friendsofthelakes.
The 2025 Kirby Lecture takes place on Friday 14 th November at Kendal Town Hall.
Reviews
Film review: Wilding
Written by Isabella Tree
Directed by David Allen
Based on the bestselling 2018 book of the same name, Wilding tells the story of journalist Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, who took over Charlie’s grandparents’ farm at Knepp Castle in West Sussex, which was entirely under the plough at the time.
They soon realised that their business was not financially viable or sustainable. Eventually taking inspiration from a variety of ancient tree and ecology experts, and a rewilding scheme in Holland, they decided to make some dramatic changes to the land and let it go wild. This is a sort of hybrid documentary – mixing interviews with the couple (now in their 60s) with actors playing their younger selves, against some stunning nature photography, and with an awe-inspiring score. It tells the story of the changes Isabella and Charlie make to the land during their 30-year journey, and the highs and lows they encounter along the way. There are many highlights in this wonderful film. For example, with no fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides sprayed on the land, a whole field of creeping thistle (a ‘pernicious weed’ that landowners are supposed to keep in check by law) grows up, much to the consternation of neighbouring farmers. The couple
fear the Government might shut their whole project down, only to be saved by a mass migration of painted lady butterflies!
From the last haven in England for turtle doves, to a burgeoning new colony of purple emperor butterflies, and white storks breeding in the UK for the first time in 600 years, witnessing the return of nature to the land is emotional for Isabella and Charlie, and for viewers as well.
An 80-minute film can’t cover all the detail conveyed in the book (also highly recommended), but this is a beautiful and mesmerising watch. Wilding is out now on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download.
Review by: Dawn Groundsell
The
Company of Owls
Polly Atkin
Atkin’s lyrical and thoughtprovoking book centres on her fascination with the owls which
live around her home in Grasmere. As she observes the adult tawny owls and three of their offspring through the seasons and over the years, she shares her wonder and delight in these enchanting, inquisitive and playful birds of prey. Through her lyrical and magical descriptions of her encounters, we learn about the owls’ routines and behaviours, and gain an insight into some of the big needs we have in all our lives: being alone and companionship, individuality and belonging, rest and retreat.
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson
There’s an interview with Polly Atkin, from the 2024 Dark Skies Festival, available on our YouTube channel @friendsofthelakes.
A Voice for the Landscape Friends of the Lake District 1951 - 2001 Jeremy Rowan Robinson
In 1951 the Lake District was designated as a national park. Yet, as would quickly become clear, national park status did not automatically safeguard one of England's most beautiful landscapes. This book chronicles our charity’s involvement in some of the biggest proposals affecting the landscape of the Lake District, picking up from where the previously published ‘Friends of the Lake District: The Early Years’ (John Cousins) left off. Robinson assesses the threats faced by the National Park and examines the role played by one of the landscape's most ardent defenders: Friends of the Lake District.
Publisher: Regional Heritage Centre, University of Lancaster
A Voice for the Landscape is available to buy from www. friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/shop
A stag on the Knepp estate
Take Part
My Favourite Place…
“My teenage son and I visit Roanhead at least once a week. It’s our little peaceful oasis hidden away from the busy Barrow streets where we live. Walking through the dunes (or rolling down them!), watching the tide coming and going, and seeing the sun set over the fells brings you instantly into the present and helps calm the mind. The tranquillity gives you space and time to think away from other distractions which is so important.” Leanne Parr, Friends of the Lake District’s new planning officer. Do you have a favourite Cumbrian place? Email the name of the place and what you love about it, along with a photograph, to christian.lisseman@fld.org.uk
Virtual Tours
If you love Cumbrian landscapes, but can’t visit as often as you’d like, why not explore the land that we look after through our virtual tours? Fly over Little Asby Common in the Westmorland Dales or explore woodlands in Ambleside and Eskdale. These online 360-degree tours allow you to explore fascinating places on your home computer or your mobile, deep diving into key elements such as history, wildlife and ecology, and land management activities via short videos and image collections. Visit www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/virtual-tours to begin your journey. New tours coming soon!
Where is it ?
Do you know where this photo was taken? If so, write your answer on a postcard and send it to Where is it? Competition, Friends of the Lake District, Murley Moss, Kendal LA9 7SS or email christian.lisseman@fld.org.uk. One winning entry will receive Wilding on DVD (reviewed on the opposite page) and a copy of ‘A Voice for the Landscape’ by Jeremy Rowan Robinson. The photograph in the last issue of Conserving Lakeland was of Pen in Upper Eskdale, photographed by Geoffrey Braithwaite. This was a difficult one so well done to Robert Jamerson from Manchester. Thank you to everyone who took time to enter. Many thanks to Nicholas Green for supplying this month’s competition image. If you have a photograph that you would be happy to share for a future competition, please send it to christian.lisseman@fld.org.uk with the subject line: ‘Where is it? photo’.
Support Us
FACEBOOK-SQUARE LINKEDIN Friends of the Lake District YOUTUBE @friendsofthelakes Instagram @friendsoflakes
There are plenty of ways that you can continue to support our work protecting Cumbrian and Lake District landscapes:
Volunteer
Learn new skills and meet new friends while making a tangible difference to the landscapes you love.
Spread the Love
Share your passion for the landscape by inviting your friends and family to join our community and become members too.
Support our Appeals
Help us create a haven for nature and people at Dam Mire by supporting our spring appeal. Every little bit helps!
Buy a Gift
Our landscape gifts mean you can give a loved one something meaningful that supports our precious landscapes.
Join our Campaigns
Take a stand with us against threats to our natural wonders, like the zip wire attraction in Elterwater.
Get Active
Join us at one of our many events, such as crossing Morecambe Bay on Saturday 16th August. See page 21 for details.
Honour a Loved One
Keep memories alive by donating in their name, ensuring that their legacy lives on through the landscapes they loved.
Photography Competition 2025
After a short break, our annual photography competition returns this year, and we can't wait to see your images of the stunning Lake District and Cumbrian landscapes. We welcome and encourage images from all different times of day, seasons and weathers. Delve into your back catalogue or hit the fells with your camera and send your images to us before the closing date of 30th June 2025. Visit www.friendsofthelakedistrict. org.uk/photocompetition2025 for terms and conditions and to upload your images.
Gifts in Wills
Leaving a gift in your Will to Friends of the Lake District, no matter the size, will cost you nothing today, but it will have a lasting impact beyond your lifetime. Gifts in Wills are a vital source of income, which help us safeguard our unique and important Lake District and Cumbrian landscapes for the future.
Founded in 1934 by a group of passionate individuals, we continue to fulfil the original aims of the charity, protecting the beauty and traditions of, and access to, the Lake District. Imagine what you could help us achieve for this precious landscape in the next 90 years with a gift in your Will.
It is always wonderful to hear from our donors and supporters, people like yourself, who are passionate about the Lake District and Cumbrian landscapes, and family members of generous donors who have left us a gift in their Will. “My aunt treasured her beloved Cumbrian home. She had a keen interest in many features of the land: dry stone walls and stone circles; most notably a deep love for trees and woodland. The planting of native trees and the creation of new woodland is something she began earnestly in later life. On her passing, her gift to Friends of the Lake District – a dependable custodian – is a continuation of that work. With their help, these peaceful presences and places will thrive and endure for hundreds of years. I’m sure she’d be content with her wonderful legacy.”
We are exceedingly grateful to all those who leave us a gift in their Will. Every gift of any size makes a huge difference. For more information about Gifts in Wills, please visit our website: www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/gifts-in-wills
Small Water by Mark Hetherington. One of the shortlisted images of our 2023 competition.