The National Trust is the largest owner of common land in England. Its purchase of Thorneythwaite provides the Trust with an opportunity to show their strong commitment to pastoral commoning; a key reason the Lake District has been nominated as a World Heritage Site. The Foundation for Common Land calls on the National Trust to collaborate better with those who graze our commons.
Thorneythwaite exemplifies a traditional hill farm at the heart of the Lake District with its white farmhouse, small inside fields, wilder intakes and Herdwick sheep that spend much of the year on the adjacent Langstrath Common. Langstrath Common is the spectacular valley featured on the opening scenes of Countryfile each week. This is the cultural landscape that 17 million visitors each year come to the Lake District to enjoy.
Julia Aglionby, Executive Director of the Foundation for Common Land comments;
“Common land provides multiple benefits for society and Langstrath Common in Borrowdale is no exception. The six farmers who graze this common recognise this; for instance 170 acres of the common were fenced off in 2012 allowing fantastic natural regeneration of trees, ferns and flowers. This winter over 100 small enclosures will be erected and native trees planted. Farmers are at the heart of managing this landscape; with their Herdwick ewes and lambs that are shepherded on foot in this steep sided valley.
We would be wise to remember that the beauty of the Lake District derives from the hard work of generations of farmers – the combined works of nature and man.”
The Foundation for Common Land is disappointed the farm has not remained as a whole unit and so considers that it is essential that the National Trust reassures us of its commitment to pastoral commoning given 28% of the Lake District is common land. A first step would be to confirm the Thorneythwaite flock will be retained on Langstrath Common and that the farmland will be let to a long term tenant farmer.
Placing farmers at the heart of managing the Lake District is essential to enhancing the outstanding values of this place. It is not a matter of pitching farming against nature and flood mitigation but improving how farmers and others collaborate to enhance nature and flood mitigation alongside public access, our cultural heritage, landscape and good local food.
The press release can be downloaded here.
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 press-release-fcl-nt-thorneythwaite-sept-2016-final.pdf | 81.27 KB |
