Lake District camping barn gets green makeover

A 16th century Lake District camping barn has been given a new lease of life thanks to the Forestry Commission, YHA and a team of local craftsmen. The popular High Gillerthwaite Camping Barn in the Ennerdale valley has reopened to the public following a six month overhaul, which included a whole new timber roof donated by the Forestry Commission.

Around five tonnes of green oak came from Forestry Commission woodland in the nearby Miterdale valley to ensure that the building was sympathetically restored using natural, local materials and traditional craftsmanship. Transporting the timber was minimised by having it sawn locally at Calderbridge Sawmill. The project shows how locally grown Cumbrian oak can be sustainably produced and used in local building construction.

Expert carpenters, Brown and Armstrong of Maryport helped to transform the raw oak into the new roof structure, which will offer shelter to hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts over the coming years. The project also gave the company the chance to provide traditional carpentry experience for its young apprentice.

Gareth Browning, a Forester for the Forestry Commission in Ennerdale, says:

“It’s great that this project used local timber and local skills to improve local facilities and the landscape, and we’re really pleased to have been part of it.

“The Ennerdale valley is a special place that relies on the continued support of local experts to maintain and regenerate it for generations to come.”

The tree felling not only benefits the barn and its visitors, but also helps to regenerate the ancient oak woodland in the valley. Once all the harvesting has finished, the clear felled areas will be allowed to re-grow naturally with a mix of trees and more open habitats are likely to develop.

Tony Hume, Manager of YHA Ennerdale, says:

“The completion of this upgrade takes us another big step closer to where we want to be with our accommodation offering in the Ennerdale Valley.

“YHA is at the moment striving to provide its guests with facilities that offer the best possible experience when they stay with us, whilst having the minimum impact on the local environment.

“We’ve already completed an extensive programme of improvements to create an excellent facility in YHA Ennerdale and the camping barn also falls into that category.

“Now we are pushing ahead with the final piece in the jigsaw, the upgrade at YHA Black Sail, so we can offer guests a choice of three great places to stay and sample the best valley in the Lakes.”

The newly improved High Gillerthwaite Camping Barn now has three alpine style sleeping areas on the first and second floors with room for up to 14 people. Facilities include a sitting room with wood-burning stove, plus a separate cooking area with hot water. There is also a bathroom with toilet, basin and shower. Electric lighting is available throughout (no sockets). Evening meals and breakfasts are available when the hostel is not too busy, if booked in advance.

The barn is on the Coast to Coast walking route, with outstanding views of Pillar, Red Pike, Haystacks and Great Gable. Nightly rates are £8 per person or £112 for sole use.

Visitors can now take full advantage of the barn’s new ‘green’ credentials by logging on to Yha.org.uk.

For more information about the Forestry Commission in North West England, visit forestry.gov.uk/northwestengland.

The Ennerdale valley is a spectacular place to visit in autumn. The contrast between the golden colours of the larch's, beech and oaks along the lakeshore with the evergreen of the spruce trees is magnificent. The heather, bracken and bilberry also add new vibrant colours to the mountains above the forest. Ennerdale also has a webcam, which can be viewed on the Wild Ennerdale website.

Wild Ennerdale is a Partnership between the Forestry Commission, National Trust and United Utilities, with a vision “To allow the evolution of Ennerdale as a wild valley for the benefit of people, relying more on natural processes to shape its landscape and ecology.”

For more information about Wild Ennerdale, visit Wildennerdale.co.uk .