Allan Bank opens its doors March 2012

For the first time in its 206-year history Allan Bank will be opened to the public in March 2012 to allow you to help us decide the property’s future. 

Allan Bank is a large house that William Wordsworth had condemned as an eyesore when it was being built. However, in 1808 after he had married, he and Mary moved here with their three children John, Thomas and Dora. Also living with them were Mary's sister Sara Hutchinson, and their literary friends Thomas de Quincey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. They stayed here for two years during which time they had two more children, Catherine and William, but they moved from the house because the chimneys smoked too much, and they fell out with the landlord.

After 34 years at Crosthwaite Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, one of the founders of the National Trust, retired in 1917 to Grasmere, where he had bought Allan Bank in 1915. He died in 1920, leaving the house to the Trust.

The house will be unfurnished and undecorated so that we are free to implement suggestions that come forward - we’ll even get people to think about the best colours to paint the different rooms!

Allan Bank sits proudly above the head of Grasmere with luscious grounds and a breathtaking outlook. In need of more than a little tlc to return it to it’s former glory, Allan Bank is to be the subject of an exciting and unique National Trust project that will invite you to be a part of determining the future of this once great early 19th century building.

Merry Christmas

This will be our final post for this year. We look forward to a busy 2012, and will continue to share news and stories from the National Trust Rangers.
Christmas is a great time to enjoy the Lakes with family and friends, especially after eating all the fine food and turkey.

We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Ho Ho Ho!

LDNP Young Rangers

With the support of United Utilities, the LDNPA has set up a young ranger programme to help develop the kind of skills, knowledge, confidence and passion to care for the Lake District’s special landscape.

“The roles involve giving the youngsters opportunities every month to learn and to take responsibility for their actions in a safe and supportive environment in a variety of tasks,” said national park volunteer co-ordinator Tim Duckmanton.

On Saturday the 3^rd December the Young Rangers came to Grasmere to spend a day with the National Trusts Area Ranger (Neil Winder).

The day was spent working at Burtharlyp Howe in Grasmere, cutting back Beech regen and creating habitat piles, and understanding why we carry out such work and its advantages to the wildlife and the surrounding views.

The young Rangers got an insight into the work of the National Trusts Ranger service and what it’s like working for the Trust.

The whole day was fantastic, achieving a lot of work but also time to talk and ask questions.

 Plenty of Fun

The Young Rangers learned that there is always time for fun when working in the countryside but mostly that the work we do is important for wildlife and visitors.

Tubular Fells map Raises £6000

I huge thank you goes to Peter Burgess, the designer of the Tubular Fells map for his donation of £6000 to the Fix the Fells Partnership.

 Peter, Neil Winder (Area Ranger), Mike Innerdale (Director of Operations)

Peter kindly donates £1 from every sale of his map to help our work on the Fells of the Lake District. His money will be used to help maintain footpaths suffering erosion and make improvement's to this great landscape.
Please click on the link or the Tubular fells map to read more information about Peter, his map and how he got together with the National Trust.
http://www.tubularfells.com/index.php/news/53-tubular-fells-money-presented-to-fix-the-fells

Tongue Gill Bridge

The last few days we have been transporting the materials needed to replace the damaged bridge on the Tongue gill path from Grasmere.

The damaged bridge

 We start by using the Land Rovers off road capabilities to  move the beams up the path.

 

 

     Moving slowly up the path

Once the beams are at there destination we return to the road to collect the rest of the materials, treads, uprights and hand rails.

Work will commence in the next few weeks to take down the old bridge and rebuild with new timbers.

 Seat Sandal to the left

 

 The Slopes of Fairfield

The Tongue Gill route is a popular path leading to Seat Sandal, Grisedale tarn and up on to Fairfield. As you walk and look back the views across to Helm Crag and Gibson Knott are Fantastic.

 

Grab your boots, the Walking Festival gets under way

The National Trust's october Walking Festival week starts on the 22nd of the month, with a host of guided walks lined up countrywide.
The Lake District Rangers have a fun packed time table of walks covering the whole Lakes, with something for everyone

Here's what the Central and East Lakes Rangers have in store.

Sat 22 and Fri 28Oct
A walk through Troutbeck Valley
Guided 2hr walk from Windermere RailwayStation
toTown end through the beautiful Troutbeck Valley.
Adults plus children 8+ (no unaccompanied
children under 16).
Meet:Windermere Station, 10.45am
Contact:Townend 015394 32628

Sun 23Oct, 10am- 2 pm
A Walk on the Wild Side
Join James Archer, the Lead Ranger for Great Langdale,
fo a walk up the valley of Mickleden.This is a wonderfully
accessible slice of wilderness.Thewalk will be level but
stony and will follow the valley bottom up to the bottom
of two of the ancient mountain passes at Rossett Gill
& Stake Pass. James will share an insight into the
pre-historical landscape. Free.
Meet: Old Dungeon Ghyll NT car park, Great Langdale Sat
Nav: LA22 9JU.Grid reference for The Old Dungeon Ghyll
Hotel, Great Langdale: 285 060.Contact: 015394 63814

Mon 24Oct, 10am
The Troutbeck Trail,Troutbeck
Join Ian Clemmett, Area Ranger forTroutbeck,
fora 3-4 hourwalk, to explore the beautiful
Troutbeck Valley.
Meet: Lay by near Jesus Church, Patterdale Road,
Troutbeck,Cumbria, LA23 1PE.GRNY412 028.
Contact: 015394 46402

Tues 25Oct, 10- 12 noon
Explore Glenamara Park,Ullswater
A short easy walk with our Ranger, SteveDowson,
through the ancient deer park with magnificent veteran
trees and stunning views down UllswaterLake. Free.
Meet: Patterdale Hotel, Patterdale.GRNY396 159
CA11ONL.Contact: 015394 46402

Wed 26Oct, 10am- 2 pm
The Giants of Skelghyll Wood
Do you like exploring? - if so meet John Pring the
Lead Ranger forTroutbeck fromWaterhead to Skelghyll
woodswhere you can explore ancient woodlands and
walk amongst some of the tallest trees in Cumbria. Free.
Meet:Water Head Pier,Waterhead,Ambleside
LA22 0EU.Contact: 015394 46402

Thurs 27Oct, 10am- 2 pm
A wander through Wordsworth country
Join Dave Almond, Lead Ranger for Grasmere for a
walk through the landscape that inspired Wordsworth -
a beautifulwalk through autumn woodlands with a
spectacular view over Grasmere Lake. Free.
Meet: Grasmere National Trust Information Centre,
Grasmere. SatNav: LA22 9SW.Grid reference:
NY33718 07419.Contact: 015394 63814

Fri 28Oct, 10am
The Highs and Lows of Loughrigg
Walk with Area Ranger Neil Winder around the
Victorian woodland Garden of High Close and
explore nearby Low Wood.
Meet: High Close Ranger Base, Loughrigg, Ambleside.
SatNav: LA22 9HH. Grid reference: NY33867 05289.
Contact: 015394 63814

For More Information about other National Trust walks and events please go to our web-site http://www.ntlakesoutdoors.org.uk/news/

                                                                                      

Fix The Fells Social Event

October was the time for this years Fix The Fells social party. It gives Staff from the partnership organisations a chance to say a big thank you to the volunteers who work hard maintaining the Lake District fell paths.

This years venue was Ullswater and a sail on the Ullswater Steamers followed by a 7 mile hike to Silver Bay for a feast.

We set sail from Glenridding on a beautiful hot sunny Saturday, very warm for this time of year. Our destination was Howtown to the north.

 The Boat was packed with visitors enjoying the fine warm weather. We managed to find a quiet area at the front of the boat to enjoy our sail.

Tim and Ruth enjoying the ride and pretending to be Pirates of the Caribbean.

                                         Fantastic views                                         

                

 We reached Howtown at around 11.30am and Howtown is about three and a half miles from Pooley Bridge and is best reached by water. The Ullswater steamers regularly stop there on their way from Glenridding at the southern end of Ullswater to Pooley Bridge at the northern end of the lake.

The name Howtown means "farmstead on the hill". The place name is from the Old Norse word haugr, meaning "hill" or "mound", and the Old English word tün, meaning "town".

 We started our 7 mile walk back along the Eastern shores of Ullswater heading for Silver Point and then back to GlenRidding.

                                                                                            

 A welcome break for the team

                                                                           

                    

Lakeland’s most beautiful lakeshore walk - stunning views of the Ullswater Valley and Helvellyn range.

                                                                   

A small stream flowing between banks of juniper from Silver Crag marks the change from woodland to more open fell side and Silver Point. Silver Bay is in the foreground and our destination for dinner.

Tim heating up the barbecue

                                                                             

 Dinner time Fix The Fells style

More food arrives from the volunteers rucksacks, cake, 
cake and more cake. What a feast fit for a king.

                                                                                                    

After all the great food, it was time to sit back and enjoy the views. 

A dogs life

A round up on this years achievements and our chance to say thank you.

Most of the food found a home!

With our tummy's full it was time to head back to Glenridding. A fantastic day was had by all. The weather had been kind, rather hot at times but definitely better that rain. Roll on next year.

We followed the path towards Patterdale which gradually turns into a farm track with a wall on the right, over which you can see Glenridding and the Steamer pier on the opposite side of the lake, our starting point this morning.