THORNHOLME FARM

CALDERBRIDGE

• THE FARM
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• ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
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• VISITORS

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

Highest point of the farm is just under 300 metres.; it is located in the the dip between Cold Fell and Swainson Knott. It is a fell-farm at the end of the road. The valley runs from east to west where it opens out at the sea and the Sellafield Nuclear Processing Plant.

SOIL TYPE(S)

Peaty ground on the moorland with many rocky outcrops, and nearer to the farm some patches of good soil.

GEOLOGY

Typical volcanic rocks of the central Lakeland Fells; thick beds of lava, rocks made up of fragments shattered by violent eruptions and thick layers of compressed volcanic ash.

FAUNA

Nesting curlews and lapwings have increased recently; there are wheatears, skylarks; woodpeckers (green and spotted), long tailed tits, nuthatches, tree-creepers, snipe, and woodcocks. Barn Owls have been on the farm for fifteen years.

For the first time, last year, George saw an otter with two offspring.

 

 

© Copyright 2007

FLORA

An ancient oak woodland is registered and fenced off. 

ARCHAEOLOGY

On Town Bank (southern slopes of Lank Rigg) there are prehistoric stone hut circles, settlements, field systems and funerary cairns. The Ring cairn and cairnfield on Kinniside Common is a ‘scheduled monument’.

On Tongue How there are prehistoric stone hut circle settlements, field systems, funerary cairns, cemetery and cairnfield. A Romano-British farmstead, shieling and lynchets, on Kinniside Common is a ‘scheduled monument’.

HEDGEROWS

Very small amount; this has been double-fenced and protected.

DRY STONE WALLS

Between 5 and 10 miles; maintained within the ESA agreement by George and family.

INCOME AND PAYMENTS

HFA
ESA
SFP

Broadly (and with variables from year to year) 70-75% environmental payments and 20-25% income from stock.