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Rare slate fences restored in Lake District areas

LDNPA Tall shards of slate, which are covered in lichen and moss, interlock together together on farm land, marking a boundary. There is a front part of a digger tied to one shard, after it was just laid into the ground. LDNPA
Interlocking shard slate fencing is unique to the Lake District and is a centuries-old practice

Rare slate fences unique to the Lake District have been restored.

More than 980ft (300m) of interlocking shard fencing was reinstated in the upper Lickle Valley and on footpaths in Hawkshead.

The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) said while shard fencing was found in other parts of the UK, interlocking fencing was exclusive to the park.

Farmer Celia Caulcott said the structures served as "vital field boundaries" and "green corridors that provide habitats for wildlife".

LDNPA Farmer Celia Caulcott stands next to shard interlocking fencing in farm land. The fencing is roughly shaped and has lichen growing on it. Celia has short great hair and is wearing a purple t-shirt with pink trousers.LDNPA
Farmer Celia Caulcott says the fences are a "testament to the Lake District's long-standing pastoral farming traditions"

The project was granted £116,707 by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs' (Defra) Farming in Protected Landscape fund, through the LDNPA.

At Jackson Ground, in the upper Lickle Valley, 853ft (260m) of the fencing was reinstated, with some of the shards measuring 5ft (1.5m) in height.

Ms Caulcott, who owns a farm in the area, said the fences were a "testament to the Lake District's long-standing pastoral farming traditions, which have helped secure its UNESCO World Heritage status".

LDNPA said the process could take several months to complete and once finished, became a "sturdy, gap-free boundary reinforced with hedging that supports local biodiversity".

LDNPA Two people work to measure and place the slate shards in the ground, which is dug up. The terrain is in a farming area in Jackson Ground, the Lake District.LDNPA
LDNPA said the process could take several months to complete

In Hawkshead, six sections were restored, including 209ft (64m) of new shards by a footpath between Hawkshead and Roger Ground, and the boundary to Dolly's Orchard.

LDNPA area ranger Sara Spicer said shard fencing was an "incredible blend of practicality, heritage, and ecological value".

"For farmers, it provides a durable boundary for livestock. For wildlife, the accompanying hedgerows act as vital corridors, enhancing biodiversity.

"And for visitors, these fences offer a glimpse into the traditional ways this land has been managed for centuries."

LDNPA Tall shards of slate, which are covered in lichen and moss, interlock together together on farm land, marking a boundary. There is a front part of a digger tied to one shard, after it was just laid into the ground. LDNPA
LDNPA area ranger Sara Spicer said shard fencing was an "incredible blend of practicality, heritage, and ecological value"

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