Helvellyn Tidy Up

© FLD

In the unseasonal heat of last Thursday there was a mass volunteering effort to clean up Helvellyn .

Sweeping Raise Beck  © Ken Withers
Sweeping Raise Beck
© Ken Withers

Organised by landscape conservation charity Friends of the Lake District's Flora of the Fells project, the first ever 'Fell Care Day' saw 120 volunteers and 50 school children descend on the Helvellyn area, undertaking a range of tasks including rebuilding 25m of dry stone wall sheepfold, repairing woodland paths, clearing drains on 10.5km of footpaths to prevent erosion, and a litter pick along Striding Edge, Swirral Edge and Red Tarn.

The event was intended to highlight the huge role that volunteering plays in conserving and managing the fells, and how the land is managed for water.

More than 20 organizations took part, including volunteer groups from Friends of the Lake District, the Dry Stone Walling Association, the Lake District National Park, Natural England, Grasmere Red Squirrel Group, 2020 Vision Project, Fix the Fells, and United Utilities, along with staff from local B&Bs.

Sue Manson, Flora of the Fells Project Officer said:

'It's been a fantastic day, we've had brilliant volunteers who've thrown themselves into the activities and achieved a lot. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and get something out of the day. We can't thank everyone enough. The day has raised the profile of the immense amount of work which goes into taking care of the fells not only by volunteers but also by the organisations managing the landscape.'


Following on from this the charity is running a second Fell Care Day in Ennerdale on Tuesday 18 October. For more information, or to volunteer email Sue Manson


This post has been read 2,566 times

Return to Latest News

Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email