TILBERTHWAITE FARM

CONISTON

• THE FARM
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• ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
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• VISITORS

TILBERTHWAITE FARM is situated mid-way between the village of Coniston and the Langdales.

This is a typical high Lake District hill farm located in a steep sided valley to the north of the Old Man of Coniston.

Husband and wife, Glenn and Dorothy and their son George work full time on the farm. 

HISTORY

High Tilberthwaite Farm dates from the late 17th to early 18th century but the site itself is thought to have been settled before the 12th century.  The farm was bequeathed to the National Trust by Beatrix Potter and has been farmed by Glenn and Dorothy since 1986.

LOCATION

© Copyright 2008

TERRAIN

Tilberthwaite farm is in a steep sided valley with only 80 acres of in-bye land around the farm; the rest is made up of steep sided intakes (enclosed pasture land on the valley sides) and enclosed fell.  The fell is north facing and rocky.

SIZE OF THE FARM

Tilberthwaite farm is 598 ha of which 375 ha is freehold fell land. The Wilkinsons also separately own around 16 ha of land at Ulverston and Blawith.

LIVESTOCK & NUMBERS

The sheep flock is made up of 600 Herdwick ewes and 150 swaledale ewes.  These are both hardy breeds, particularly the Herdwick which is the native sheep breed of the Lake District. The Wilkinsons are renowned breeders of Herdwick tups (rams).

The farm has 24 pure bred and cross bred limousin suckler cows.

GRAZING & CONSERVATION

The farm has a Lake District Environmentally Sensitive Area agreement which restricts the number of sheep that are allowed to graze the fell land.

There is mixed stocking with suckler cows as well as sheep, which encourages a diversity of vegetation.

The farm has a traditional flock of native breed fell sheep breeding its own replacements. 300 sheep are wintered off the farm, alleviating pressure on winter grazing and potential trampling of land.

However, there is concern that reduction in livestock numbers is leading to a greater coverage of bracken.