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Friends of the Lake District
The only membership organisation dedicated to protecting
and enhancing Lake District and Cumbrian landscapes
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  • Monday 20th June: Guard Duty for Grasmere Volunteers

    Monday 20th June: Guard Duty for Grasmere Volunteers

    Six volunteers joined us on Monday on a beautiful day to help out in Gillside and Tongue Gill Woods at Grasmere. Read more

  • 14th June 2022: When to visit our Wonderful, Colourful Upland Hay Meadows

    14th June 2022: When to visit our Wonderful, Colourful Upland Hay Meadows

    We were back at High Borrowdale on Tuesday with the volunteers so we can give an update on how the meadows are looking for those of you who may wish to go and visit them. There really is no substitute for visiting and seeing them for yourself! Read more

  • 9th June 2022: Staff Take a Woodland Tour Whilst Hardy Volunteers Explore...Our Ambleside Rainforest!

    9th June 2022: Staff Take a Woodland Tour Whilst Hardy Volunteers Explore...Our Ambleside Rainforest!

    On Tuesday, our staff and trustees took a tour of three of our woodland properties. On Wednesday, six volunteers joined us to venture into what felt like the midgey rain forest of South America, otherwise known as Sweden Wood in Ambleside! Read more

  • 6th June 2022: The Gift of Dam Mire

    6th June 2022: The Gift of Dam Mire

    Using words written on paper leaves by visitors to our Dam Mire wood opening day, member Johanna Alberti has written this short poem reminding us all about our wonderful day in Threlkeld and how much this wood means to people Read more

  • Monday 20th June: Guard Duty for Grasmere Volunteers
  • 14th June 2022: When to visit our Wonderful, Colourful Upland Hay Meadows
  • 9th June 2022: Staff Take a Woodland Tour Whilst Hardy Volunteers Explore...Our Ambleside Rainforest!
  • 6th June 2022: The Gift of Dam Mire
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  1. Home
  2. Land Manager's Diary

Land Manager's Diary

We've expanded our volunteering opportunities on our property workparties in 2022 as there is much to do and we have big ambitions for how we manage, develop and enhance the land that Friends of the Lake District owns and manages. 

The work is coordinated by our property manager Jan Darrall, who oversees the management of all of our properties. Jan will be updating this diary to highlight the amazing work carried out by our volunteers, provide reports on site visits and discuss plans and ideas for future projects and plans for our land.

Friends of the Lake District's goals are to:

  • Sustain the rich, diverse, living pattern of landscape, wildlife and culture that makes Cumbria such a unique place.
  • Actively encourage people of all ages and backgrounds, both local and visitors, to experience and enjoy the county’s amazing landscapes.  

We strive to achieve these goals in a number of ways, not least through the ownership and management of land in Cumbria and the Lake District. We work to improve public access, improve flood resilience, create new woodland and develop rich habitat in our ongoing work to care for and celebrate Cumbria's rich natural and cultural heritage.


If you'd like to volunteer with us and join us on any of our wonderful workparties in 2022, visit the workparty section of our website for a full schedule of dates and booking facilities for upcoming dates.

Monday 20th June: Guard Duty for Grasmere Volunteers

Monday 20th June: Guard Duty for Grasmere Volunteers

Six volunteers joined us on Monday on a beautiful day to help out in Gillside and Tongue Gill Woods at Grasmere. Read more

Published: 22nd June, 2022

Updated: 24th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

14th June 2022: When to visit our Wonderful, Colourful Upland Hay Meadows

14th June 2022: When to visit our Wonderful, Colourful Upland Hay Meadows

We were back at High Borrowdale on Tuesday with the volunteers so we can give an update on how the meadows are looking for those of you who may wish to go and visit them. There really is no substitute for visiting and seeing them for yourself! Read more

Published: 16th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

9th June 2022: Staff Take a Woodland Tour Whilst Hardy Volunteers Explore...Our Ambleside Rainforest!

9th June 2022: Staff Take a Woodland Tour Whilst Hardy Volunteers Explore...Our Ambleside Rainforest!

On Tuesday, our staff and trustees took a tour of three of our woodland properties. On Wednesday, six volunteers joined us to venture into what felt like the midgey rain forest of South America, otherwise known as Sweden Wood in Ambleside! Read more

Published: 9th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

6th June 2022: The Gift of Dam Mire

6th June 2022: The Gift of Dam Mire

Using words written on paper leaves by visitors to our Dam Mire wood opening day, member Johanna Alberti has written this short poem reminding us all about our wonderful day in Threlkeld and how much this wood means to people Read more

Published: 5th June, 2022

Updated: 6th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

31st May 2022: What's in a word?

31st May 2022: What's in a word?

Mebbe as the wood at Threlkeld grows up, yan (one) day, we can create some new descriptive words with the school children to name the trees and plants on site and keep our local dialect going as something to celebrate, use and be proud of, as big a part of our identity as the clothes we wear or possessions we choose to amass. Read more

Published: 31st May, 2022

Updated: 8th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

24th May 2022: Plug Planting at High Borrowdale

24th May 2022: Plug Planting at High Borrowdale

Today we have been planting the tall and regal melancholy thistle and the roadside verge favourite wood cranesbill. Although the seed for such upland meadows was put in when we restored them, some are reluctant to come through and need a helping hand! Read more

Published: 24th May, 2022

Updated: 6th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

18th May 2022: A Beautiful Day in 'Old Lakeland'

18th May 2022: A Beautiful Day in 'Old Lakeland'

What a beautiful day it was to hold our first ever workparty at our newest property, Middle Bleansley, near Broughton in Furness; a part of the Lake District that genuinely feels like unspoilt old Lakeland. Read more

Published: 19th May, 2022

Updated: 24th May, 2022

Author: Chris James

11th May 2022: Volunteers Take On Huge Challenge at Mazonwath

11th May 2022: Volunteers Take On Huge Challenge at Mazonwath

It was a blustery day up at Friend’s of the Lake District’s Mazonwath land. Great to have such a big age range along, all keen to get to grips with the challenges of dry stone walling where the challenges were indeed huge! Read more

Published: 12th May, 2022

Updated: 24th May, 2022

Author: Chris James

9th May 2022: Tranquility Returns to Dam Mire Wood

9th May 2022: Tranquility Returns to Dam Mire Wood

On Monday we returned to Dam Mire Wood at Threlkeld for a workparty. What a different place to two weeks ago when we had our grand opening! All was quiet except for the birds singing and insects buzzing. Read more

Published: 10th May, 2022

Author: Chris James

4th May 2022: Clag turns to sunshine at Hows Wood in Eskdale

4th May 2022: Clag turns to sunshine at Hows Wood in Eskdale

We set off for our first workparty in three years in our glorious Hows Wood in Eskdale in the drizzle, mist and clag. Then the sun shone and the Lake District really did shine and the rain drops sparkled. No problem finding our way home over the passes on the homeward trip! Read more

Published: 4th May, 2022

Updated: 10th May, 2022

Author: Chris James

27th April 2022: Fettling, moving, sorting, clearing and digging on the Helm

27th April 2022: Fettling, moving, sorting, clearing and digging on the Helm

We tackled a variety of jobs which included fettling the tree planters (ponies and cows rubbing causes the posts to loosen), moving and sorting stone for the walling, path clearance, thistle digging and some tree tube tidying up! Read more

Published: 28th April, 2022

Updated: 3rd May, 2022

Author: Chris James

25th April 2022: Grand Openings, Hydro Plants, Red Squirrels and Work Parties

25th April 2022: Grand Openings, Hydro Plants, Red Squirrels and Work Parties

An action packed week on Friends of the Lake District’s land this week. Our first workparty of the year at Gillside and Tongue Woods , work on the Helm near Kendal and on Friday we have the public opening of Dam Mire Wood in Threlkeld Read more

Published: 26th April, 2022

Author: Chris James

19th April 2022: Tree Planting Resumes at High Borrowdale

19th April 2022: Tree Planting Resumes at High Borrowdale

We are getting towards the end of the planting season now so today was a last chance to plant some more of our stock of trees at High Borrowdale. We have been so busy planting the new 420m long hedge and adding 2500 upland hay meadow plants that we have not been able to fit in tree planting since January. Read more

Published: 19th April, 2022

Updated: 21st April, 2022

Author: Chris James

6th April 2022: The Joy of Dry Stone Walling

6th April 2022: The Joy of Dry Stone Walling

Wed 6 April to some people is important as the start of the financial year… for us it was important as it was our monthly dry stone walling day at Mazonwath, near Orton. Read more

Published: 6th April, 2022

Author: Chris James

1st April 2022: Hedging, Red Squirrels, Daffodils, Catkins, Sun and Snow

1st April 2022: Hedging, Red Squirrels, Daffodils, Catkins, Sun and Snow

Despite some snow flurries, Mike's Wood shows lots of signs of spring with primroses and daffodils in flower, catkins and bluebells coming up and birds providing a wonderful music concert all day long. Read more

Published: 1st April, 2022

Updated: 7th April, 2022

Author: Chris James

23rd March 2022: Sunshine, Curlews, Lapwings, Ha-Ha's and Hay Meadows

23rd March 2022: Sunshine, Curlews, Lapwings, Ha-Ha's and Hay Meadows

Well it’s been another busy week as well as a beautiful, sunny one on Friend’s of the Lake District’s land as March draws to a close. Read more

Published: 1st April, 2022

Author: Chris James

14th March 2022: Plug Planting at High Borrowdale

14th March 2022: Plug Planting at High Borrowdale

The old adage ‘many hands make light work’ was certainly true for our first plug planting day at High Borrowdale. 17 years after we re-created our first hay meadow, we decided to add a bit more diversity and colour by plug planting species that have been slow to germinate and grow. Read more

Published: 13th March, 2022

Updated: 1st April, 2022

Author: Chris James

8th March 2022: Springtime in Sweden Wood

8th March 2022: Springtime in Sweden Wood

Spring felt it really was on its way at Sweden Wood above Ambleside. The birds were singing, foxes were running,  the pussy willow was glowing and there was frog’s spawn in the pond at the top of the site. Read more

Published: 11th March, 2022

Author: Chris James

7th March 2022: A Visit to our Newest Property at Middle Bleansley

7th March 2022: A Visit to our Newest Property at Middle Bleansley

We went on a first visit to our now newest property – we are delighted to announce that last week the legal transfer was finalised on land at Middle Bleansley near Broughton in Furness; now our most southerly piece of land. Read more

Published: 8th March, 2022

Updated: 30th June, 2022

Author: Chris James

2nd March 2022: The Helm Gets a Helping Hand

2nd March 2022: The Helm Gets a Helping Hand

On Wednesday we were joined by 9 volunteers on the Helm near Kendal. We had a range of tasks to complete and this saw volunteers cover pretty much the whole of the 32ha site! Read more

Published: 3rd March, 2022

Updated: 7th March, 2022

Author: Chris James

1st March 2022: Finished! One new 420m hedge planted and fenced at High Borrowdale

1st March 2022: Finished! One new 420m hedge planted and fenced at High Borrowdale

On Tuesday lots of our Friends of the Lake District staff joined us at High Borrowdale to help with the planting of the new 420m hedge. For several new staff this was their first trip onto one of our properties. Read more

Published: 3rd March, 2022

Updated: 4th March, 2022

Author: Chris James

22nd February 2022: Open Access for All

22nd February 2022: Open Access for All

Friends of the Lake District has land right across Cumbria diverse in location and in habitat. The one that unifying feature is that we allow open access on foot for everyone; not just our membership but anyone who wishes to visit. Read more

Published: 22nd February, 2022

Author: Chris James

15th February 2022: Dry Stone Walling Week

15th February 2022: Dry Stone Walling Week

This week it’s dry stone walling week for our trusty volunteers over at our land at Mazonwath, east of Orton. The art of dry stone walling is an ancient rural craft and has been going on for centuries. Read more

Published: 15th February, 2022

Updated: 16th February, 2022

Author: Chris James

9th February 2022: Hedging at High Borrowdale

9th February 2022: Hedging at High Borrowdale

The sun shines on our volunteers at High Borrowdale as we begin planting 420 metres of hedgerow bordering our upland haymeadow, providing a valuable wildlife habitat and slowing run-off of water from steep gillsides Read more

Published: 10th February, 2022

Updated: 15th February, 2022

Author: Chris James

7th February 2022: Return to Greenbank Wood

7th February 2022: Return to Greenbank Wood

Our dedicated volunteers returned to Greenbank Wood this week. The impact of Covid and lockdown has meant that we have not had a workparty at the site for a couple of years so there was a lot to do. Read more

Published: 10th February, 2022

Author: Chris James

4th February 2022: Busy Bees at High Borrowdale

4th February 2022: Busy Bees at High Borrowdale

It’s the busy season at our High Borrowdale site at the moment. Work is fast and furious carrying out preparation work to plant 420 metres of new hedge. It's exciting to be creating a new and vibrant habitat on an already rich site. We need extra hands too if you'd like to join us! Read more

Published: 7th February, 2022

Updated: 15th February, 2022

Author: Chris James

2nd February 2022: Signs of Spring in the Rusland Valley

2nd February 2022: Signs of Spring in the Rusland Valley

Although it was a damp and dreary day, it was a very exciting day for us. We held our first ever workparty in Resp Haw and Bull Coppice woods in the beautiful Rusland valley. There were some lovely signs that spring is coming closer with catkins on the trees and the first shoots of the bluebells on the lower slopes of the wood. Read more

Published: 4th February, 2022

Author: Chris James

1st February 2022: Dam Mire Wood featured in the Queen's Green Canopy Scheme

1st February 2022: Dam Mire Wood featured in the Queen's Green Canopy Scheme

We are delighted to have received confirmation that our land at Dam Mire Wood in Threlkeld has been registered and included on the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) map. A volunteer planting effort of 100 trees at the site makes this our second entry on the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) map. Read more

Published: 2nd February, 2022

Author: Chris James

31st January 2022: High Borrowdale featured in the Queen's Green Canopy Scheme

31st January 2022: High Borrowdale featured in the Queen's Green Canopy Scheme

We were delighted to receive confirmation that a volunteer planting effort of 500 broad leaf trees on our property at High Borrowdale has been recognised and included on the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) map. Read more

Published: 31st January, 2022

Author: Chris James

26th January 2022: Winter check on Gillside and Tongue Gill woodlands

26th January 2022: Winter check on Gillside and Tongue Gill woodlands

A winter check on Gillside and Tongue Gill woodlands at Grasmere which we manage on behalf of Friends of the Lake District members Bev and Jo Dennison. Read more

Published: 31st January, 2022

Author: Chris James

24th January 2022: Volunteers Plant 200 Trees at High Borrowdale

24th January 2022: Volunteers Plant 200 Trees at High Borrowdale

It was a positive day, not only due to the energy of the volunteers but as tree planting is about looking forward, creating new things. This is the start of a busy few months for us on our land at High Borrowdale with two exciting new projects getting underway. Read more

Published: 25th January, 2022

Updated: 31st January, 2022

Author: Chris James

10th January 2022: Our First Workparty at Dam Mire Wood

10th January 2022: Our First Workparty at Dam Mire Wood

On a dull and drizzly day at Dam Mire Wood in Threlkeld yesterday, hardy volunteers arrived from Keswick, Cockermouth, Mungrisedale and Watermillock to lend a hand and begin the transformation of the two hectare piece of land gifted to Friends of the Lake District by member and local resident Prof Mike Hambrey. Read more

Published: 11th January, 2022

Updated: 31st January, 2022

Author: Chris James

9th December 2021: Workparty Wallers at Mazonwath, Little Asby Common

9th December 2021: Workparty Wallers at Mazonwath, Little Asby Common

Timelapse footage of our brilliant volunteer wallers at Little Asby Common. Some fast work afoot, a four second lunch break and supercharged sheep under winter skies on our common land at Little Asby. Read more

Published: 9th December, 2021

Updated: 31st January, 2022

Author: Chris James

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  • Our Purpose

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    We consider this to be a wholly inappropriate development in this location. We urge you to take immediate action, write to the Planning Authority and share your concerns about this threat to Thirlmere

  • Why become a member?

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    Love the Lake District? Become a member of Friends of the Lake District and join thousands of people enjoying and protecting it.

  • The Helm

    The Helm

    Situated near Oxenholme, just south east of Kendal, and although not a very high hill at 185m, it gives beautiful views.

  • Chief Executive - Douglas Chalmers

    Chief Executive - Douglas Chalmers

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  • High Borrowdale

    High Borrowdale

    High Borrowdale is situated 8.5 miles north of Kendal. The best way to access it is from the A6, south of Shap. There is open access at all times.

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Our aim is to:
Care for the scenic beauty, rich wildlife and historic heritage of our county’s landscapes;
 Ensure Cumbria's landscapes are passed on to future generations in as good or better condition than they are now;
Encourage people to appreciate our special county – everyone has a right to enjoy Cumbria’s magnificent landscapes

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Friends of the Lake District is now operating a mix of home and remote working. Our core office opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm subject to staffing levels. Call 01539 720788 or email [email protected]

Friends of the Lake District
Murley Moss
Oxenholme Road
Kendal
Cumbria 
LA9 7SS

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