HIGH CARLINGILL FARM

& LOW BORROWBRIDGE FARM

THE FARM

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

VISITORS

HIGH CARLINGILL & LOW BORROWBRIDGE FARM is a traditional hill farm where native sheep breeds, habitats and heritage have been conserved and protected through sensitive farmer-led grazing and land management.

Here, the health and well-being of both land and family are intertwined. This kinship has guaranteed the sustainability of this precious cultural landscape.

THE FARMS are set in the Lune Gorge where ancient and modern jostle together; early settlements of 1000BC; a Roman Fort, bath house and a cemetery; the river; the west coast mainline railway and the motorway (opened in 1971).

The Wilsons came to High Carlingill in 1957 and have been farms the two farms since 1967.

SIZE OF THE FARM

The total area of the farm is a 1000 acres and has common rights on Roundthwaite Fell and Tebay Common (the Howgills). The farm manages much of the riverside on the banks of the River Lune.

LIVESTOCK & NUMBERS

The livestock here is one of the largest flocks of Rough Fell sheep with 650 ewes being bred pure and 500 ewes being put to the Teeswater tup to produce Masham lambs (the traditional cross-bred lamb for the area). 100 Masham ewes are put to a Suffolk tup for the production of fat lambs, a change which has occurred since foot and mouth disease in 2001. Ninety suckler cows are also kept.

GRAZING & CONSERVATION

Low levels of artificial fertiliser are used on the meadow ground and some of the pastures to supplement farm yard manure. The successful use of the fell ground depends on working collaboratively with other common graziers. The Wilson family have been engaged in bracken management and spent four summers, from 1967-1971, mowing the bracken by hand as an organic method of reducing it.