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Exploring Eden
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Exploring Eden
View of a wide section of fast flowing river punctuated with large rocky outcrops and limestone slabs. Silver birch trees featured in foreground.

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Wallacefield

Part of project: Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges

Working together, the local community, volunteers and ERT staff will plan, design and carry out the river restoration that will ‘unperch’ a straightened river channel. They’ll look at other opportunities to enhance the habitat as well, such as removal of invasive non-native species. The footpath to the river will be realigned, with improved accessibility and signage. Interpretation will be developed to explain the restoration process and encourage use of the site along with activities for schools/groups.

The land at Wallacefield is managed under a Countryside Stewardship Scheme by Susan’s Farm CIO. Susan’s Farm is a charitable Care Farm recently awarded the Kings Voluntary Service Award for its work with over 3,000 people each year.

Those visiting this organic farm to view the re-wiggled channel will be able to enjoy the wonderful hay meadows and woodlands with fantastic range of plant species. 

Lead partners: Eden Rivers Trust, Cumberland Council, landowners Julia Aglionby and Charles Weir.

Challenge

Wallacefield farm, typically for Cumbria, has a perched river channel forced to run around the edge of a field, which needs restoration.

The farm has basic facilities to cope with groups and existing beneficiaries through Susan’s Care Farm who come to the farm to learn about the countryside. 

Access to the river by public footpath is difficult and needs improving to enable more people to the river safely.

 

Job done

  • Eden Rivers Trust volunteers:

    • surveyed the site as part of the research and design process.

    • were on-site to see off a large stand of Himalayan Balsam. 

    • removed fencing and cleared undergrowth in readiness for groundworks to put the wiggle back into a straightened river channel on the site.

  • 200m of watercourse and one pond restored, within 1.5ha of farmland following site preparation work and volunteering efforts.

  • 163m of fencing has now been installed around the release water channel to protect the restored area.
  • Talks to implement footpath realignment and improvement works at Wallacefield are underway.

Autumn 2025 update

Following a wet Autum in Cumbria, the water is finally flowing in the released paleochannel!  While the work to release this was done a year ago, the dry weather has meant that this channel has remained dry, until now!  It’s great to finally see this old channel bed with water running through it again.

In November, an initial meeting was held at Wallacefield with ERT, the landowner and Cumberland Council to discuss the footpath improvements needed, including the Public Right of Way realignment and accessibility improvements. 

Image gallery

  • Water flowing through a released paleochannel across grassy field.
    Following a wet Autumn in Cumbria, the water is finally flowing in the released paleochannel!
  • ERT staff and landowner looking at an interpretation panel on site at Wallacefield featuring a map of the Parish of Wetheral and natural and cultural points of interest.
  • View of a wide section of fast flowing river with large rocky outcrops and limestone boulders to the shore.
  • ERT volunteers on site at Wallacefield removing Himalayan balsam from field boundaries on the site.
  • ERT staff and volunteers clearing roots and obstructions on site at Wallacefield before the installation of fencing around a field section.
  • ERT volunteer digging with spade onsite at Wallacefield.
  • View of a wide section of fast flowing river punctuated with large rocky outcrops and limestone slabs. Silver birch trees featured in foreground.
  • Two volunteers cutting back undergrowth beneath a wire fence using loppers.
  • Groundwork underway on Wallacefield site. A digger is moving soil to redirect existing river channel.

Access to Eden Doorstep Sites

Creating thriving natural spaces

Making improvements to the river environment at eight sites ‘on the doorstep’ of urban areas along the length of the river Eden.

Partners and Funders

This project is supported by the Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges partnership project led by Eden Rivers Trust with a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks also to the Garfield Weston Foundation and Penrith Town Council for their support during 2024.

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