National Trust Lake District

17/06/2026

Wow! These beautiful orchids are growing in Gowbarrow, Ullswater.

Have you seen any on your walks? Share your pics in the comments.

[ Image description: 1. Close up of the white and purple flowers on a wild orchid. 2. Grassy field with orchids. 3. Grassy field with many orchids gowing and blue sky.]

Photos: National Trust/John Hutchinson

05/06/2026

🐄 Open Farm Sunday at Common Farm – This Weekend!

Looking for something meaningful (and fun!) to do this Sunday? Come and explore Common Farm in Windermere and discover how farming and nature can thrive together 🌱

📅 Sunday 7 June
⏰ Tours at 10am & 2pm
📍 Common Farm, Common Lane, Windermere, LA23 1JQ

Join us for a guided farm tour of this former intensive dairy farm, now managed by the National Trust to support people, wildlife and climate-friendly farming. Since 2020, exciting projects have been transforming the land — from wetlands and wood pasture to orchards and improved public access 🌳

What to expect:

- A relaxed, expert-led farm tour
- A nature activity for children 🐞
- Hot drinks ☕
- Time to chat with the team behind the transformation

Whether you’re curious about sustainable farming, passionate about wildlife, or just want a great day out in the countryside this is for you.

👉 Spaces are limited – book your place now and don’t miss out! Grab your FREE tickets and join us this Sunday https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GHRB

[Image description: Herd of black, grey and white Albion cattle with calves in a green, grassy filed with drystone wall and trees.]

05/06/2026

This , we’re celebrating 20 years of the amazing Monk Coniston garden volunteers 🌿

Some of the original team who helped to restore the derelict walled garden are still here, continuing to care for a large part of the garden they helped shape. Their dedication over the years has transformed and protected this space — without them, much of it could easily have become overgrown with brambles and weeds.

Monk Coniston has a rich history dating back to the 18th century, shaped by families linked to the local iron industry, including the Fords, Harrisons and Knotts. Its architecture reflects this evolution, from the original north wing to later Gothic Revival additions. In 1928, Beatrix Heelis (née Potter) bought much of the estate, selling part to the National Trust and leaving the remainder to the charity in 1944.

Today, HF Holidays lease the house from the National Trust and run it as a hotel, while a large part of the grounds — known for rare trees and a restored walled garden — are cared for by the National Trust with invaluable volunteer support.

It’s a real team effort. A landscape of this scale relies on both staff and volunteers, and the collaboration works brilliantly.

From the Victorian ‘pleasure ground’ and champion trees to vibrant rhododendrons and productive garden plots, this is a place shaped by history and ongoing care.
A heartfelt thank you to all Monk Coniston garden volunteers, past and present, for your commitment and pride in this special place.

If this has inspired you - take a look at the volunteering pages to find out how to join an garden team 🔗 https://bit.ly/volunteerlakes

[Image descriptions - Image 1: The current volunteer team with Hill Top's gardener Pete Tasker and HF Holidays gardener David standing in line with tools and wheelbarrow on a grassy area at Monk Coniston garden. Image 2: Two older photos that show the transformation of the overgrown garden in 2006, to a neatly restored garden with clear plots, beds and paths in 2029. Image 3 & 4: Black and white images featuring three of the original members, stood with gardening tools, who are still volunteering today! ]

🔗

03/06/2026

A new chapter for a Lake District favourite...

The much-loved Tower Bank Arms in Near Sawrey is looking for new tenant landlords, as its long-standing team prepare to retire after 20 years.

Set just a stone’s throw from Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s former home, this iconic pub – featured in The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck – has been at the heart of the community for years.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to the current tenants for their warmth, hospitality and dedication, and wish them all the very best for a happy retirement. 💚

Now, an exciting opportunity begins for someone new to build on their legacy and take this special place forward.

Interested parties are encouraged to contact Savills estate agents for further details. https://bit.ly/towerbankarms

[Image descriptions: Image 1 Wider exterior view of Tower Bank Arms, a traditional white cottage-style pub with green trim, slate roof, chimneys, and garden shrubs behind a low stone wall. Image 2 Close-up of the entrance to Tower Bank Arms pub, featuring a white rendered façade, green wooden porch with a clock, potted plants, and a sign reading “Tower Bank Arms – Residential Free House.”

02/06/2026

🌍 It’s World Peatlands Day
What if we told you the UK’s most powerful climate ally isn’t a forest… but a bog?

Peatlands may not look like much, but they store huge amounts of carbon, support rare wildlife, reduce flooding and protect thousands of years of history.

But they’re fragile. 1 metre of peat can take 1000 years to form but when degraded 1cm of peat can be lost every year. The carbon that would otherwise be stored underground is instead released to watercourses and the atmosphere.

We’re working with other conservation organisations to protect peatlands across the Lake District and the Forest of Bowland. Thanks to the Defra-funded Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, administered by Natural England, restoration work is being delivered in partnership by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Forest of Bowland National Landscape with financial support from United Utilities and private landowners - helping these vital landscapes recover and thrive.

🎥 See the story in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7kMWPHhzGQ
Created through this partnership project and now touring film festivals, Bogs: The Magic of Peat is a short film that captures the people and places behind peatland restoration across the Lake District and Forest of Bowland.

💚 Want to help? Choose peat-free compost, respect and protect these fragile peatland landscapes when visiting, or simply share this film.

Because when peatlands thrive, we all benefit 💚

Film produced by

01/06/2026

We’re proud to work alongside partners on this important work. Take a look at the 2025 Annual Report to see what’s been achieved together 💚

27/05/2026

No. 28 Climb a huge hill 🏔️
No. 45 Find your way with a map 🗺️
No. 50 Take a friend on a nature adventure 👭

Which of our ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’ will you try this half term?

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/50-things

[Image descriptions: Image 1 Open countryside with a winding footpath leading towards distant hills under a cloudy sky, two children in distance walking along the trail.
Image 2 Front of Tabitha Twitchet's bookshop with cream walls and large windows, where adult and child stand in the doorway with a dog looking at a map. Image 3 Two children exploring a woodland area, standing beside a large tree stump surrounded by greenery and forest floor plants.]

26/05/2026

With temperatures soaring stay this half-term.

☀️🔥 With temperatures expected to soar this weekend, the risk of a wildfire will also increase.

Whether you're local to Cumbria or a visitor, please enjoy our county safely by following our advice – together we can keep Cumbria safe.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆
🚫 Don’t have open fires/campfires or barbecues
🚭 Put out ci******es completely
🚯Take all litter home
🚗 Take care when parking – don’t block access roads, tracks or gates, and be aware hot exhausts on dry grass can ignite fires

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲
If you spot a wildfire, get to a safe place and call 999, telling us as much as you can about the location (What3Words is very helpful) and direction of the fire and what is burning.

Find more safety information on our website at cumbriafire.gov.uk