Cumbria Wildlife Trust are today (Sunday 25th May) celebrating the opening of Cold Springs, the trusts first ever Community Nature Reserve.
To celebrate the opening family-friendly events, including the historic ‘bottle shaking’ ceremony at the well, which has been uncovered at the nature reserve were held.
The last Sunday of May is traditionally the day each year when the site’s historic well was celebrated.
Ami Stidolph, Cold Springs Community Engagement Officer, explained more: “For centuries, children gathered at the Cold Springs well on this day to fill their bottles with water and add sweets, shaking the bottles to make a fizzy pop! This ceremony was stopped in the early nineteenth century, but now we’re reigniting it to celebrate both the spring, and our wonderful wildlife.”
There is no designated parking at the nature reserve, but limited parking is available at the laybys on Beacon Edge. Dogs are only allowed on the path around the upper edge of the nature reserve and not in the fields.
The 15 hectares of farmland at Cold Springs on the outskirts of Penrith were given to to Cumbria Wildlife Trust by Ann Clark, in memory of her husband Brian.
Since 2022 it’s been transformed into a community asset with improved habitats which are allowing wildlife to recover. A local steering group and many hard-working volunteers have been driving the improvements with the trust, who have received funding from a wide range of organisations, in order to carry out huge improvements to the land.
The transformation includes a wildlife garden, community orchard, tree nursery, footpaths, seating and waymarking, wildflower planting and the creation of ponds, and an ongoing series of community events and activities are planned over the coming years.
All of these activities are designed to open up the space for local people so that they can learn about and enjoy nature.
Cumbria WildLife Trust said “We're hugely grateful to all the funders of Cold Springs Community Nature Reserve”
Cold Springs Community Nature Reserve Funders include:
Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges partnership project led by Eden Rivers Trust with a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust
National Highways (Network for Nature)
Westmorland and Furness Council
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