RAISGILL HALL

GAISGILL, TEBAY

THE FARM

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

VISITORS

RAISGILL HALL is located near Gaisgill around 3 miles east of Tebay on the edge of the Howgills. The farm is on a tributary of the River Lune and is an upland dairy, beef and sheep farm with grazing rights on Tebay common.

Steve Dunning and his son Michael work full time on the farm. They are helped by a part time self-employed contract shepherd and Steve’s wife Barbara.

HISTORY

The farm has a long history. It is located near a bridge over the River Lune which, in the past, was the breakthrough point for a lake which ran from Ravenstonedale through to Tebay.

The valley bottom was fertile as a result of the lake, but livestock would have been sent up to the uplands in summer to avoid flies and then returned to the lower ground in winter. The lake has since been drained but left fertile land in the valley bottom and a history of settlement next to the Lune bridge. The walls in the valley bottom are thought to have been built in the 1400s and Raisgill Hall dates from the 1600s.

The Hall is now two farm worker cottages and the main farmhouse was built around the time of the first world war.

LOCATION

TERRAIN

The farm is in the Severely Disadvantaged Less Favoured Area. The valley bottom is relatively fertile rising to the limestone uplands of Tebay Fell. As with the rest of the Howgills, the area is characterized by rounded grassy limestone hills in contrast to the craggy Lake District fells.

SIZE OF THE FARM

The farm is 166 ha of owned and rented ground, with an additional 15 ha rented each year on short term lets. The farm also has grazing rights on Tebay common amounting to 275 ha of “white” fell shared between 7 graziers.

LIVESTOCK & NUMBERS

The farm has 950 pure bred hill ewes including the traditional native breeds of the area – Kendal Rough Fell and Swaledale. There are also a small number of Cheviots - a breed from the Scottish borders, and 70 cross bred ewes.

There is a 60 cow dairy enterprise and 60 beef cattle are finished on the farm.

Steve markets his own Rough Fell lamb direct from the farm gate and at farmer’s markets including at the nearby village of Orton. He has also been involved with the marketing of Rough Fell lamb with a group of farmers in the area with the lamb being sold to the local catering trade.

The milk is sold through the First Milk farmers’ cooperative of which Steve Dunning is a director. His beef is sold through farmers markets and also direct to wholesale buyers.

GRAZING & CONSERVATION

The Dunnings run a traditional sheep enterprise with native breed fell sheep grazing Tebay common.

The farm has entered the Entry Level Stewardship scheme and is applying for Higher level Stewardship on 28 ha of limestone pasture land. They also restrict grazing on an area of limestone scar under an arrangement with Cumbria Wildlife Trust to protect the vegetation.

The sheep are housed from December through to the Spring to prevent damage to upland pastures.

The slurry from the dairy enterprise is spread by an umbilical system – ie by piping it from the slurry tank rather than spraying. This reduces the risk of pollution and keeps odour to a minimum. The farm collects and spreads all its dirty water.