SHACKLABANK FARM
FIRBANK
ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
In between Cumbria and Yorkshire; Firbank is part of Howgill Valley through which the River Lune runs. The Howgill Valley is designated to become an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
GEOLOGY
The farm is built from Firbank Shale, which is found in the immediate area.
FLORA
There is ancient wet pasture within the farm which is full of every kind of wild flower and dragonflies.
FAUNA
There are otters, herons, buzzards, roe deer, swallows, badgers, red and green and lesser spotted woodpeckers; barn owls and little owls; lapwing, curlew and hares in the top allotment; there are oyster catchers in May and June.
© Copyright 2007
ARCHAEOLOGY
There is a medieval earthwork of ridge and furrow in one of the fields.DRY STONE WALLS & HEDGEROWS
Shacklabank is roughly 50/50 dry stone walls and hedgerows. The hedgerows are plum, hawthorne, blackthorne, hazel, hornbeam, dog rose, wild lilac and willow entwined with honeysuckle, some planted by Alison O’Neill.
VERNACULAR BUILDINGS & FEATURES
1960’s tin buildings have been removed and the vernacular character of the farmhouse and attached barn have been enhanced.
INCOME AND PAYMENTS
Single Farm Payment
Entry level stewardship
Hill Farming Allowance
20% of income comes from livestock
30% from agri-payments
50% from farm holidays
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