Have a great time on one of our working Holidays

Working Holiday May 2012

Ever wanted to Wake up in a beautiful location, and enjoy a fun-packed day doing exciting conservation activities, and make great new friends in the process with one of our working holidays?

Well this is what these guys did. Taking part and getting active on one of our working holidays. Fun packed week with twists and turns but a fantastic experience, learning about this part of the Lake District, doing some great conservation work and getting a chance to have a go and enjoy a brilliant outdoor activity.

Sarah encouraging rides in her wheelbarrow

The First day the Volunteers and Rangers worked hard on the shores of Grasmere to remove tree saplings along the path and shore. This work is important to do while the trees are young, many have self seeded but removing them helps keep the mature trees healthy encourages smaller wild flora to grow and ultimately retaining the beautiful views across the Lake and fells. We also have a special event coming up on June 9^th this year the Grasmere Gallop 10k trail race. We are hoping this year’s race will attract 500 plus runners of all ages to enjoy what must be one of the most beautiful routes in the country. For more details follow this link Grasmere Gallop

Katie and Alan removing tree saplings, not a bad view

Adam looking cool, modelling that Bow Saw

Grasmere water from Loughrigg

The rest of the week was spent at High Close Garden near Langdale. The house that sits in this 11 acre site is used by the YHA. The original building has been extended over the years but we think there would have been a wooden structure here since the 15^th century. The garden covers 11 acres and is part of the High Close estate which totals 535 acres. The garden was originally planted in the 1860s by Edward Balme and was laid out in the fashion of the day using many recently discovered exotic conifers from North America as well a variety of Rhododendrons. In its time the garden would have employed 9 gardeners and a full time path sweeper. The maintenance has been undertaken by the Rangers and volunteers and this work is now ongoing to bring the garden back to life. 

Roger clearing vegetation from around a 200 year old "Corting" seat

The gang worked very hard all week with some inclement weather for May but this did not dampen there sprits. Work has been ongoing in the garden to remove Rhododendron from the site. We collected logs and brash to burn for the fire. Paths that had become over grown and covered with soil and leaf mould were dug off and landscaped and resurfaced with local slate. Drains were cleaned and reinstated.

Bernard discovering old drains

Alan digging of turf

Twisted fire starters

Krisi taking our barrow for a spin

We use crushed slate from a local quarry in Elterwater

The gang cant wait to get there barrows full

Raking the slate level

Perfect

Katie showing us the before shot

And after

Magic

One happy customer

We add a full day on Windermere using Canadian canoes and kayaks as part of the holiday, this gives first timers a chance to try a new sport and for others to view the Lakeland fells from a different perspective. There is nothing better than bobbing about on the water enjoying fantastic views and great company.

Canadian canoes on Windermere

A chance to try out Kayaks

Experts in the field of Kayaking

Time to relax and enjoy many fabulous locations the Lakes has to offer

Our Working Holidays provide a great way to learn new skills, help our work, see new places and have fun with like-minded people. There are plenty of Working Holidays to choose from with locations country wide. Go on, give it a go. Find out more and get involved by following this link National Trust Working Holidays

Elterwater's biodiversity under threat?

The reed beds and Touch me not balsam stands at Elterwater are being invaded by the American skunk cabbage, a perennial plant with an estimated life span of over 80 years! 

National Trust Rangers are digging up smaller plants, and destroying the seed pods of older specimens. The aim is to limit the spread of skunk cabbage,and prevent it from displacing the native plants at Elterwater.

Image of small skunk cabbage, freshly dug up. Note size of root system

Image of skunk cabbage growing in Touch me not balsam stand and reeds.Young Balsam seedlings in 1/2 moon shape around skunk cabbage

Image of large stand of older skunk cabbage. Note younger plants in right foreground.



Image of medium size skunk cabbage just dug up with a lot of effort! Note massive root system

One of the largest skunk cabbages we found...we nicknamed it GODZILLA! To put things in perspective, the chain saw boot is a size 10.

A trailer full of skunk cabbage.

These plants represent a small proportion of invasive species that are threatening our countryside; the National Trust and many other organisations, with help from volunteers, are making a stand against such species. 

A lot of resources are also used to try and combat the spread of Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed. Please keep checking the blog for more posts about this issue.

National Garden Scheme "Wordsworth Daffodil Legacy trail"

The 1st of April saw the National Trust open Dora's Field in Rydal in partnership with NGS. We had over 200 visitors come through the gates to enjoy the sea of Yellow daffodils and hear the history of this wonderful place.

Every year NGS gardens across England and Wales welcome about 750,000 visitors. Most gardens which open for the NGS are privately owned and open just a few times each year. Some gardens open as part of a group with the whole community involved. The NGS donate to The National Trust which helps train the heritage gardeners of the future.

Diane and David from the NGS

Dave and Joyce our hard working Volunteers

Visitor photographing the Daffs

Explaining the wonderful history of the site to visitors

The day was a huge a success and we would love to do the same next year.

Dora's Field and Wordsworth's Daffodil trail

We are now in the process of getting ready for a new partnership where Dora's Field in Rydal will be opened as part of the National Garden Scheme's "Wordsworth Daffodil Legacy Trail". On Saturday 1st of April  people will be able to follow the trail from Cartmel to Carlisle with two National Trust gardens playing their part in the wonderful trail.

To celebrate both Wordsworth’s Lake District legacy and the daffodil, on 1st April 2012 seven locations throughout Cumbria are taking part in the National Gardens Scheme’s Daffodil Day. The properties involved are Holker Hall (Cark-in-Cartmel), Summerdale House (Nook), Dora’s Field (Rydal), Rydal Hall (Rydal), Acorn Bank (Temple Sowerby), High Moss (Portinscale) and Carlisle Cemetery (Richardson St, Carlisle). From 11am until 4pm they are all throwing open their gates and holding a Wordsworth Daffodil Day to allow the public to see a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils.

Dora's Field which was originally known as The Rashfield, with the name being derived from rush field, because of the damp nature of the ground which would have originally supported mainly rushes.

This plot of land was purchased from the Backhouse family by William Wordsworth in 1826 as a defence strategy. The Wordsworth's were tenants of Lady Anne le Flemming at Rydal Mount situated behind Dora's Field from May 1813. In 1825 Lady Anne announced her intention of giving the tenancy of Rydal Mount to a relative. Under threat of eviction, and desperate not to be forced away from the idyllic Rydal, William purchased the field and made it clear to Lady le Fleming his intention of building on the field in what ever way he wished (this would have been right in the view from Rydal Mount). George Webster, a famous Kendal architect, was even paid to draw up a design.

In the event, this contingency plan was not needed as the threat was withdrawn. The family retained the field and it was given to Dora, Williams daughter.When Dora tragically died William, his wife and their gardener  planted hundreds of Daffodil bulbs in her memory.

The field (0.6ha) was gifted to the National Trust by Gordon Wordsworth in 1935 for the benefit of the public.  The National Trust now maintains the paths and prevents the open areas from returning to woodland and losing the open views.  Several benches are situated around the garden to allow visitors time to pause for a moment amid the hectic rush of life. 

 Volunteers helping resurfacing the paths

Crushed slate is used from our local quarry in Elterwater 

 Fallen limbs from trees are stacked to create a habitat pile for beetles, spiders and other small Fauna

The Chapel of St Mary at Rydal was funded by Lady Le Fleming of Rydal Hall, with work starting in 1823 and being completed the following year. Wordsworth helped choose the church site which was located just down the hill from his home, Rydal Mount,  and was originally the Le Fleming orchard. A tower, nave, and chancel make up the church, which has seen repairs and renovations during the 20th century.

So if you're in the Rydal area on the 1st April, then please call in to Dora's field and say "Hello", we will have volunteers and National Trust Rangers on site to answer any questions and talk about the history and management of this wonderful location.

Nordic Walking..........ever wanted to give it a go?

Well here is your chance. The National Trust Grasmere Ranger Team, with the help of Debbie Jackman, nordic walking instructor, and Nordic Walking UK, are giving you the chance to try this rapidly growing sport, as part of our Grasmere Gallop 2012. Go to www.grasmeregallop.co.uk for full details, including your chance to try a `taster session` absolutely free.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

On the 15th of April 1802 William and Dorothy Wordsworth were travelling back to Grasmere after staying the night at Eusmere in Pooley Bridge and in doing so came across the daffodils that inspired William to write the poem "I wondered lonely as a cloud". It was Dorothy that wrote in the Grasmere Journal how they had seen the daffodils under the boughs of trees and among the rocks on the lakeshore and William then wrote the poem in 1804. The daffodils can still be seen today in the same place near to Glencoyne car park on the shores of Ullswater, they are early this year and are just about out so if you want to see them you had better come in the next couple of weeks or so.

Every January before the daffodils start to come through, we clear the brambles and dead bracken so the daffs can be seen in thier glory.

    I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o'er vales and hills when all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils.

Beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

William Wordsworth was a frequent visitor to the Ullwater area and wrote three poems about Aira Force the most well known being the "The Somnambulist" an ancient tale of Knightly love and death.

Langdale to London....and back again.

Now, I`m prepared to bet good money that you were not expecting to read an article about a National Trust property in London on this blog. Let me explain.

The Blewcoat School, located in the heart of London, moments from St. James` Park and Westminster, is a coffee shop with a difference. Managed by Janet, this beautiful Georgian building has an amazing history. That it survived the war and pressures of development, right in the centre of Westminster, is a story in itself.

Janet and her brilliant team (including Rosanne, NT Council and Volunteer) have the ambition to produce the best sandwich in London. By my reckoning, something that they have already achieved! With free Wi Fi for all customers, this really is a little of oasis of calm in the centre of the city. 

We are building links between our two properties, sharing information and promoting events for each other. Judging by the number of `hits` on the Grasmere Gallop web site, from the London area, then this is already proving to be really successful. 

The Blewcoats School, Westminster. The best coffee shop in London!

So, if you find yourself in London this year, perhaps for the Jubilee celebrations, the Olympic Games or just sightseeing, please call in and say hello to Janet and her team. Say that the Grasmere & Langdale Rangers sent you.