Despite facing challenging circumstances with marquees taking flight across Crow Park, we welcomed 60 volunteers to our Keswick Mountain Festival Fell Care Day on Saturday 21st May.

Volunteers braved the early strong winds and driving drain to be rewarded with afternoon sunshine and cake as they took part in a range of conservation activities to help heal the flood damaged landscapes around Keswick. Their determination for conservation achieved impressive results:

• 51 volunteers 10 volunteer leaders
• 7.5 m of dry stone wall rebuilt on Crow Park
• 7 bags of rubbish collected from around Derwentwater
• 24 bags of rubbish plus piles of timber debris collected from around Bassenthwaite
• 9km of upland path cleared on 3 Fix the Fells drain runs on Catbells and Ashness Bridge
• 245 hours of work completed = 35 days
• 84 pieces of cake eaten!

Ruth Kirk, our Fell Care organiser said,

“To be greeted on Saturday by a mangled mass of metal that the day before had been 18sqm of beautiful exhibition space was certainly a shock. We may be Friends of the Lake District but the Lake District can be a fickle friend to us even when we are trying to help heal it!

“Nevertheless, out hardy volunteers arrived at our makeshift signing in table before setting out to pick litter by canoe and foot, learn the skill of dry stone walling and help Fix the Fells on the upland paths of Catbells and Walla Crag.

“We are so grateful to them all for their tremendous efforts which salvaged our soggy Saturday morning spirits!”

Our next Fell Care Day takes place at Glenridding and Patterdale on Wednesday 6th July. More informtion here>

Visit www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk for more info or contact [email protected]