WHEN drifting around the other day, just north of the A66, completely lost, I was suddenly struck by a notice informing me that I was close to the Philip Wayre Upland Trust. I was looking for a house near the High Force Waterfall in Teesdale, but my sat-nav goes through periods of utter gormlessness from time to time and my wife, Lulu, and I were way off target. Needless to say, the device’s days are numbered.
Nonetheless, the ‘Philip Wayre Upland Trust’ intrigued me—the late Mr Wayre was a fantastic naturalist and conservationist and, dare I say it, one of my heroes. I was invited to speak at his memorial in 2014 in Suffolk, which remains one of the most important privileges of my life, as he was a great man. However, now, after being responsible for the return of the otter throughout Britain courtesy of The Otter Trust, it seemed that Wayre may have set in motion a charity to try to see through the myths and mists of misinformation that currently dominate and demonise all talk of upland conservation, where the eco-fashion of ‘rewilding’ seems to have taken over from ‘sustainable management’, common sense and reality.
What exactly is the Philip Wayre Upland Trust and where is it? It’s made up of two blocks of moorland in Weardale, north of the A66 in the North Pennines. Seeing land that should have been perfect for black grouse, lapwing and curlew completely wasted due to bad management and overstocking of farm animals, Wayre set about the task of finding wrecked land that could be restored for wildlife and properly managed livestock. In 2000, he purchased Lintzgarth Fell, a block of 482 acres rising to more than 1,800ft; and, in 2012, Thornhope Moor, nearly 300 acres skirted by the Thornhope Beck. But could they both be reinvigorated by restoration and protection?
Denne historien er fra September 29, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 29, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
