Black Eye Friday

Black Eye Friday

Around here the Friday before Christmas is traditionally known , by the emergency services, as ‘Black Eye Friday’  it’s the day when the local builders, joiners, plumbers, electricians and people who work the land,  finish work and start their Christmas break . Many local trades people gather  in the local pubs , much drink is taken , tongues are loosened and later in the evening petty rivalries and grievances are aired,  things are said that would be better left unsaid leading to the inevitable ‘wrestling and fisticuffs ‘ and the blackening of eyes !

Lake Windermere just kept on rising

This year however may be a bit different , the recent exceptionally severe flooding and strong winds has meant that houses have been flooded , roads and bridges damaged,  trees felled onto tracks and paths , walls and fences.

Multiple windblown trees across this track on Claife !

Some of our National Trust staff have been affected;  flooded out of  their houses, possessions damaged beyond repair. 

Flooded properties at Strawberry Gardens.

Like our own NT Rangers , many of the local builders are now busier than they have been all year , working hard to repair the damage caused by wind and water, hoping to get people back into their homes before Christmas .

 As I write this we have Rangers and teams of volunteers assessing and prioritising the damage , repairing tracks  and removing windblown trees from paths. Builders  and joiners are delaying their Christmas break ripping out damaged kitchen units and furniture trying to dry out properties quickly so that re-building work can begin. This work will continue well into the new year and some of it will take months !

Cumbrian Spirit

All this paints a bleak picture,  but the reality of life in the Lakes is that we have faced severe weather challenges before; repaired, rebuilt and carried on with our work and our lives and this time will be no different. Most of the businesses are open as usual , the majority of roads and bridges are open , the countryside is accessible , if a little scarred in places .

Moody and magnificent

So come and visit Cumbria and the South Lakes we are open for business and we could do with your support now more than ever. If anything the Lakes is looking even more moody and magnificent , the becks and waterfalls are certainly something to behold,  and Christmas is a great time to be in the Lakes whatever the weather !

Please note : Do check our NT website for opening times  and info as some of our properties close for a Winter break to prepare for the new season.

Happy Christmas

Hit by snow but avoiding bullets!

So far this winter, apart from one really bad Friday, we’ve not had too much heavy snow to contend with. That’s generally good news – it might look nice but it makes doing any practical work difficult. So we were pleased that the most of one of our snowfalls had melted off for a recent hedgelaying day out with the South Lakes Conservation Group. It was still a bit chilly for one of the group’s scotty dog Hamish though, who spent most of the day perched on a rucksack to keep his little paws warm.

Hamish admires the view from his rucksack seat

We weren’t so lucky with the snow when we came to look at the work for the project at Blea Moss (see the 25^th January entry in this blog) with the upland footpath team. A heavy fall had covered the ground meaning we found ourselves in the slightly surreal position of looking at path work when we couldn’t see the path! Luckily, the path team had written the specification for the job in better - less snowy - weather so we were able to get a good idea of what needs doing.



Footpath workers in the snow, a Cumbrian version of gorillas in the mist?



Blea Tarn looking very wintery indeed

Perhaps the most unexpected part of this job is the target shelter. Erected in the second world war, this is a large rectangular metal barrier on the hillside that was used for target practice by troops. Seems reasonable until you realise that someone had the job of hiding behind it and then popping out to see how accurate the shots had been, before radioing the results back to the trainees. It’s a historical oddity and becoming an attraction in itself, but the feet of all the people heading over to look at it are eroding the hillside.

The target shelter, looking remarkeably robust after all these years

This summer though we’ll be beavering away with volunteer groups to put a proper path in to the shelter, along with some information. If you’re up the Little Langdale valley, keep a look out for us – we’re just glad the target isn’t in use anymore!


post and photos  Rob

A Spectacular Start to the Year

Since the Christmas break I have been out and about doing various things and along the way I've seen some sights that I think are worth sharing.

I have been looking a footpath and peat bog restoration project up at Blea Moss in Little Langdale, this is a collaboration between the National Trust, Lake District National Park, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and of course our tenant farmer John Birkett. The aim of the project is to reduce the erosion that is occurring on the footpath in that area and to help to stabilise the peat areas on Blea Moss. Blea Moss is a nationally important site for a number of  plant species, including March Club Moss, Oblong leaved Sundew and Bog Orchid. Whilst I was there I saw this amazing atmospheric view through the mist.

Juniper in the mist

We have taken delivery of a second Tramper Mobility scooter which will be available to use free of charge up at Tarn Hows, just call to book a slot 015394 41172. The Tramper was bought second hand at a very reasonable price from a user who could no longer make use of it, this was made possible with a £2,500 donation from the Daneway Trust.

The silver dream machine out in all weathers

 Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.... Well it looks rather lovely, but we've had a few cases of "Rangers to the Rescue" as a few people have tried to venture up the icy road to Tarn Hows in their cars and then we've had to go and grit the road to get them out. A Rangers' day is never dull and almost always different. Here's some lovely snowy views from our base, not bad eh!




From the brew room window

Boon Crag Yard