Friends of the Lake District has owned land in Cumbria since 1937. We own land in order to enhance the landscape of the area; carry out practical conservation projects; increase access and model best practice in land management. Our land includes valleys, native woodlands, moorlands, uplands and commons. We encourage you to get out and visit some of these hidden Cumbrian treasures!
Whilst climate change mitigation and adaptation is not the primary reason we own or manage land, it is an important factor we take into account when deciding on our management regime across the 586 ha of land that we own or manage. Read more
We've asked Molly - our Property Engagement Officer - to write a monthly blog detailing her work with us so that we could share her progress, spread the word about the wonderful land that we own and encourage you to go and explore! Read more
Our land includes valleys, native woodlands, moorlands, uplands and commons. We encourage you to get out and visit some of these hidden Cumbrian treasures! Read more
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. Read more
This is situated about five miles east of Orton. There is open access on the common at all times. Read more
Situated near Oxenholme, just south east of Kendal, and although not a very high hill at 185m, it gives beautiful views. Read more
Through the generosity of Friends of the Lake District members and landowners Bev and Jo Dennison Drake, we have planted a new 7 hectare native wood along Tongue Gill beck, Grasmere. During 2014 we ran an appeal to raise money for trees. Thanks to the generosity of our members, an incredible £8,626 was raised, adding to the grant we received from the Forestry Commission. Read more
A small one-and-a-half hectare woodland opposite the University of Cumbria's campus library on Nook Lane in Ambleside containing some large veteran beech and Scots pine trees dating back to the nineteenth century. Read more
Mike’s Wood was created in appreciation of a former Secretary of the Friends, Mike Houston. A generous local member, Ann Beddard helped us with this by giving us some land she owned, so enabling us to create a 4.81 ha native wood. During 1993/4 oak, alder, ash, birch, rowan, scots pine, hawthorn and juniper were planted. We have created a footpath through the wood, linking into other routes Read more
Hows Wood is situated in upper Eskdale and covers 20 acres (8 hectares). We bought the wood from the Forestry Commission in 1987 to restore the ancient native woodland and as a way of showcasing the way forward for managing woodlands. Conifers were removed in 1994, dry stone wall boundaries restored to keep out livestock and deer, a Bark Peelers Hut was conserved and a circular walk waymarked. Read more