Rohan interview

Neil Winder Area Ranger for Grasmere & Great Langdale has recently been interviewed by outdoor clothing specialists Rohan.
Paul Russell manager of Rohan Ambleside and author of microview, the popular series on the Rohantime web-site conducted a series of interesting questions to ask Neil about the work of a National Trust Ranger.
The full interview can be seen by clicking the link below.

http://rohantime.com/26059/microview-neil-winder/

Grasmere Gallop 2012 Saturday 9th June 2012

So, here we go again !  The National Trust Grasmere Ranger team are already busy  preparing for GG2012. Thank you to all of you who helped make our relaunch of the Grasmere Gallop in June 2011 such a success. We are really looking forward to welcoming you, and hopefully many others, back in 2012.

We want to build on the success of last year and make this years event bigger and better. Please click on the link http://www.grasmeregallop.co.uk/ to take you to our gallop home page where you will find more information and our on line entry page. Grab your running shoes and get active, we want to see you on Saturday June 9th, fun for all ages. Come along and help support the fantastic work of the National Trust in this beautiful location.

 

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.