Land we look after
High Borrowdale
With the help of our volunteers, we have transformed this beautiful valley, part of the Lake District National Park, into a stunning haven for wildlife and people.
About High Borrowdale
High Borrowdale is a beautiful valley that’s now part of the Lake District thanks to the NationalPpark extension in 2016. With the help of our volunteers, we have transformed this site into a stunning haven for wildlife and people. We have re-created two upland hay meadows, restored two barns, stabilised a derelict farm house, re-built dry stone walls, planted a new hedge and planted native trees such as ash, oak, rowan, holly, hawthorn, alder and willow to enhance the habitats and landscape and help stabilise erosion.
Like all our land, the valley is Open Access, so you are free wander around this magnificent landscape. Visit High Borrowdale at the end of June and in early July, and you’ll see the hay meadows in full bloom.
Our work here
We regularly hold volunteer workparties at High Borrowdale to look after the meadows, trees, dry stone walls, hedges and old farm buildings here. Both hay meadows are proving to be successful; with Natural England suggesting the oldest one is now of SSSI restored quality. The upland hay meadows greatly increase biodiversity in the area, and support some of our rarest plant species. Our researchers have recorded the history of people in this landscape back to the 1100s.
High Borrowdale in numbers
44ha
The size of open access land to explore.
20,000
The number of trees we’ve planted here since owning it.
6ha
The size of the upland hay meadow we’ve restored here.
2
The number traditional barns restored here.
Visiting High Borrowdale
High Borrowdale is situated 8.5 miles north of Kendal. The best way to access it is from the A6, south of Shap. You can park at the layby at Hucks Brow (GR552038). What Three Words: spring.converter.soups
Walk up hill from the layby and, on the bend, you’ll see a bridleway on the left. Follow this track for about a mile. It will drop downhill and then follow the course of the river. You reach High Borrowdale after you have crossed the bridge.
Access by public transport is very limited.
High Borrowdale gallery
Oxeye daisy
Visit High Borrowdale in early summer and you’ll be treated to a feast of wild flowers.
Volunteers at work
Whatever the weather, our volunteers turn out to help us look after this special place. Photo: George Carr Media.
Barns of High Borrowdale
We’ve restored two barns in the valley.
Related news & stories
Blogs, features and and news stories about our land.
