Some leisure, some work.

Just before the busy Easter weekend I took the opportunity to have a few days holiday and spent the time with Jan exploring some of the quieter places in the Lakes.  

We spent one day visiting Ennerdale where a long-term re-wilding project known as Wild Ennerdale is underway.  It’s always interesting to see the latest developments there.

This time we encountered one of the herds of cattle that live in the valley.  This is a pilot research project that has introduced Galloways to roam freely across three areas.  They have different grazing habits from sheep and will help to keep down bracken growth.  They will break up the ground to create more opportunities for seed germination and also their trampling might bury tree seeds giving them a better chance to take root.  You can read more here.

On another day we popped up to High Snab Farm to see Tom (a Trust tenant farmer), Caroline and the new addition to their family, a baby girl called Harriet.  Tom was away working on another farm but we had a chat with Caroline and met Harriet.  All are happy and healthy. High Snab is a lovely place to bring up children.

Then it was back to work for the Easter weekend.  As usual we had lots of visitors but happily there were very few problems.  One of the other rangers had one inappropriate camp and camp fire to deal with but these are becoming rarer as people become more aware of the damage they can cause.  We do want people to have the opportunity to wild camp but we just ask that they leave no litter; do no damage and don’t destroy the enjoyment of others.  Try to leave the site as though you were never there.

An extra pleasure for the week was an evening visit to Wordsworth House for the launch and book reading of a new book Tandem written by our very own Alex Morgan.  She is interpretation and communications manager for the house. Tandem has already won a book-readers award so well done Alex.

Daisy here.  

I’ve been out everywhere running around the Lake District, it’s great.  We’ve been exploring new places, it’s great.  My leg didn’t slow me down at all.  I don’t know why Roy was worried.