Category: Land Manager’s Diary

Wildlife bonanza – slow worms, toads and bats Post

This week, Jan has been meeting up with theLittle Asby commoners, exploring the hay meadows of High Borrowdale and pondering the issues around tree planting and water.

Fossils, flowers, forests and fly-campers Post

This week, Jan pays a visit to Gowbarrow to look at some ancient woodland before returning to Mazonwath with her volunteers to work on more dry stone walling and check in on the hay meadow restoration work.

Woods, meadows and challenge walling Post

Incredible views from Sweden Wood, checking out the trees in Rusland, and a challenging wall gap in High Borrowdale. All this and some amazing footage of barn owls!

Overflowing with good news and excitement Post

Ninety years of campaigning for wires to go underground and our National Park extensions campaign pays off - as work begins undergrounding wires on our land at Little Asby. A new bridge and seat at Dam Mire, new land at Threlkeld.

So who is eating the fence? Post

National Volunteers Week: adventures at the Helm with bracken, grass clearance, ponies and fence repairs. An award nominated volunteer, and research proves the healing effects of greenery.

Time to experiment Post

In this week's blog, Jan updates us on Rusland experiments with sheep fat, and battles the micro climate of High Borrowdale.

Volunteer awards and dodgy wall heights Post

This week we've been honouring the volunteers and working with wonky wall heights.

Bluebells and chocolate chips Post

Spring has come to Cumbria, the bluebells are out and the woods are looking, sounding and smelling amazing. Our land manager Jan tells us more...

The Magic of Woodlands Post

Tackling invasive holly in Hows Wood in Eskdale, mighty oak trees, pine marten releases and catkins, and our rainforest appeal for Rusland woods.

Fixing and fettling Post

Following the Easter break, Jan and our volunteers are back dry stone walling in Mazonwath. Meanwhile, there's an appeal to listen out for a rare toad and an appeal to help double the difference during Earth Raise week.

Our new website Post

The website as you see it now is just the start. Much of our previous content is temporarily unavailable as we continue to work on and update things.

High Borrowdale extremes Post

While volunteers dig in at High Borrowdale, Jan reflects on the government's Land Use Framework and what it might mean for upland hill farmers while the bridge at Dam Mire opens to the public.