HIGH BORRANS FARM
NEAR INGS
SOIL TYPE(S)
Soils derived from the Silurian sedimentary rocks of this southern part of the district are all rather poor and acid, because of the very high rainfall over the last 10,000 years, since the last glacial episode. This has leached out the soluble mineral elements such as calcium.
GEOLOGY
High Borrans is located within the Silurian (Ordovician) division, made up of Silurian Slates, Grits and Flags. The Silurian hills and valleys present a gentler than the central mountains (seen from the farm) of the Borrowdale Volcanic series. These rocks were originally deposited in an ocean that covered the southern part of the region after the volcanic episode.
FAUNA
Barn Owls, bats; fieldfares; snipe woodcock; partridge; pheasants; swifts, house-martins, swallows, little owl and red squirrels.
© Copyright 2007
FLORA
There are wild cranberries and wild juniper among the heather. There are areas of bog-moss (Sphagnum) with cotton-sedge (Eriophorum).
HEDGEROWS
Hedgerows, because of lack of management in the past have grown too tall. A grant to re-lay these hedges is being investigated.
VERNACULAR BUILDINGS & FEATURES
There is one barn, part of which is much older than the rest. Jonathan and Cathy Hodgson are investigating funding sources for restoration.
There is an ice house within the farm.
INCOME AND PAYMENTS
35% from livestock
65% from environmental management payments.
The Cumbria Fells and Dales Leader + programme is based at Voluntary Action Cumbria and is part-financed by the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund of the European Union and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. This project is part of a trans-national project with Gévaudan Leader + Programme, Lozère, France.
© Copyright 2008 Cumbria Hill Farms