Our beloved High Borrowdale has once again been hit by storm damage, both from winds and water.  Given that it seems to have been one long storm since December, this is no surprise.

Despite that, it is devastating to see things that we have created and loved being damaged.  That is just what happens when you own land and all you can do is try and make things as resilient as possible for the future.

To start the clean up, we need as many hands as we can for the next work party on 27 February 2024.  We will also need to get a contractor in to help us: 

• fix smashed gates
• replace broken fence posts
• relocate fences now hanging in the air as the water has undercut the banks
• remove the debris from a landslip that has blocked a beck causing it to flow across our meadows

Can you join us? Book here. 

Our 20-year journey at High Borrowdale led to ponderings about the highs and lows of owning land, and what we have learned or may have done differently.

There's no doubt owning land means you can be creative in developing new habitats for nature, enhancing the landscape, and giving people more access to enjoy more things.  It is a real high to see something you have researched, planned, and enacted work on, come to life eg our restored upland hay meadows.

But not everything goes to plan despite thorough research and advice.  We have been hit by storm damage over the years, but also despite all our efforts our tree planting has not been very successful.

It would be easy to get depressed by these happenings, but that is part of owning land and we have to pick ourselves up and see what we can learn from such challenges, to inform not only our work but also that of others. 

Some things we just have to expect, eg that fence posts these days only last 10 – 15 years and so budgets and plans need to factor in replacement far earlier than would have been the case decades ago.  And some things could perhaps have been done differently; as time goes on, new techniques often appear that are easier or better for the land.

We continue on our journey to do more for nature, landscape, people, and climate change on our land.  One of the highs continues to be meeting so many people to share our experiences with, and having such a brilliant gang of volunteers over the years who have genuinely shared those highs and lows with us. 

We could not have done, or continue to do, such fantastic work on our land without you.  Thank you!