Lake District Conservation

The Lake District and Tourism Conservation Partnership Footpath repair appeal

Money raised to date £6218.10*

*(updated quarterly)

During the Autumn of 2002 we became a member of the Tourism and Conservation Partnership, an organisation dedicated to funding conservation through tourism which, between 1995 and 2002 secured over £230,000 for practical conservation projects.

Established in 1993 the Partnership for the first time created a a direct link which connects visitors, the tourism industry and other businesseswith the conservation organisations that maintain the landscape and manage the impact of visitor pressure.

We are delighted to have the opportunity to help raise funding towards the Skiddaw footpath repair project, (see below) only three miles from our Park. When making a holiday reservation visitors may opt-out of a voluntary contribution of £2 to the scheme but for every £1 raised the heritage Lottery Fund will match it with a further £2. Our target is to raise a minimum of £2500, which we shall then also donate a further 10% of that total.

Skiddaw… We are pleased to have the opportunity to help raise funds for the upland footpath repair between Millbeck and Carlside on the slopes of Skiddaw which is only 3 miles from our park. The lower section will involve aligning the path onto the contours of the fellside, reducing its width and encouraging the re-growth of vegetation. The upper section will involve stabilising the bank on the upper side of the path. Coir netting, which is an organic mix of heather brash, will be applied to the fellside here to encourage vegetation re-growth. This project has been identified by the National Park Authority, the National Trust and English Nature as needing urgent attention.

David Bellamy Conservation Award

Castlerigg Hall received a David Bellamy Gold Award for the 6th consecutive year for various conservation measures implemented on and around the park over the last year. These included Red Squirrel feeding boxes, 80 new trees and shrubs planted that encourage wildlife, butterfly bushes and areas of grass left unmowed that provide a habitat for Owls food. We are delighted with the results and now have Red Deer, Red Squirrels, Badgers and an Owl living on and around the park.

Just completed…. wildlife interpretation boards throughout the park. August 2006.

The Bellamy willow dome has just been completed, part of a three year project……….

watch this space for details