Friends of the Lake District decided to take on the project to help celebrate their 75th Anniversary year. Volunteers from Friends of the Lake District teamed up with National Park volunteers and spent three days rebuilding
Photo credit: Graham Christey

twenty-two metres of collapsed sheepfold wall. The sheepfold is nearly 150 years old and was used for gathering sheep, dipping and washing them in the beck that runs by it. It's been unused for a number of years but now the tenant farmer is so pleased with it he plans to bring it back into use it again.

Chris Hodgson, the tenant farmer at Rydal, said: "I'm really pleased with the quality of the restoration work carried out by the Friends of the Lake District and Lake District National Park volunteers. Now I have a useable sheepfold in an area of the fell I can gather the sheep into. Old features are always better looked after if they have a continued use, like stone walls and barns."

Steve Gaskell, Lake District National Park Ranger said: "Our voluntary rangers have significant experience in repairing dry stone walls and were pleased to work with Friends members in their anniversary year. The sheepfold is important in the landscape and is used by sheep for shelter in the winter months."

Jack Ellerby, Policy Officer with Friends of the Lake District said: "One of our members told us that the sheepfold needed repairing as they didn't want to see it completely tumble down. These historic features are linked to the cultural evolution of upland farming systems in the Lake District and should be preserved for future generations."