Welcome to

WILD HAWESWATER

A rugged Lake District landscape where nature restoration works alongside hill farming, to benefit wildlife, water and people.

Wild Haweswater is a partnership between the RSPB and United Utilities, in the beautiful eastern Lake District National Park.

For Wildlife

By protecting ancient Atlantic oakwood, restoring upland plants and returning natural process, Haweswater is a place where wildlife can thrive; from red squirrels to salmon, pied flycatchers and rare lichens, this mountainous landscape hides a richness of life.

For Water

By rewiggling rivers, rewetting peat bogs, reconnecting floodplains, and replanting thousands of lost trees, we’re restoring natural solutions to improve the behaviour and quality of drinking water flowing into Haweswater reservoir.

For People

Steeped in cultural and natural heritage, Haweswater attracts thousands of people to its mountainous landscape each each year. Looking closer, vital ‘ecosystem services’ hide in the landscape which support people too, such as carbon sequestration, soil health and biodiversity.

Wild Fell

Wild Fell, written by the RSPB Site Manager for Haweswater Lee Schofield, is a call to recognise that the solutions for a richer world lie at our feet; by focussing on flowers, we can rebuild landscapes fit for eagles again. A landscape of flowers is a landscape of hope.

It was published in February 2022, with the paperback out a year later in March 2023. Since its release, this popular book was Highly Commended in the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2022 in the Writing on Conservation category, and winner of the Richard Jefferies Award 2022.

Grab your copy today!

BUY THE BOOK

Our Vision

Haweswater’s valleys and fells hold a rich collection of memories, past and present. It is a landscape long loved by residents and visitors alike. But what of its future?

Over the course of centuries, Haweswater’s Naddle and Swindale Farms, like all farms in the Lake District, have adapted to the needs of society. Discover how we’re continuing in that proud tradition, where Haweswater’s landscape is not only beautiful, but also a place where nature and people thrive.

Immerse yourself in our Vision for Haweswater’s Future

READ OUR VISION

VIEW OUR CHANNEL

Events & Experiences

The quiet, rugged charm of Haweswater sets it apart from the more popular Lake District honeypot sites, offering opportunities for seclusion and wildlife encounters unlike any other in the National Park.

Haweswater is best known for its dramatic scenery, but look a little closer into these wide open landscapes, and you will discover vibrant upland plants, seasonal symphonies of birds, and ancient woodlands where red squirrels play.

Explore nature with our collection of events and experiences from the RSPB and our partners.

Celebration Wood

Haweswater’s Celebration Wood lies adjacent to the mossy ancient woodland of Naddle Forest. This wild corner of the eastern Lake District National Park is a beautiful, peaceful place for quiet reflection and communion with nature.

By planting a tree here, whether in memory of a life or to mark a special occasion, you’ll be helping to restore and expand this rich habitat.
Every tree in Celebration Wood has a story.
Click below for further details.

Our Blog

Meet the Haweswater tweed

British Army Troops rally to help us restore a peat bog

Volunteer Voices: Phil’s path to Haweswater

Lee Schofield

Senior Site Manager

Lee oversees the RSPB’s work at Wild Haweswater, making sure our stewardship of the area delivers for nature, water and people. Discover Lee’s journey as our Site Manager in his popular book Wild Fell.

Annabel Rushton

Visitor Experience Manager

Annabel takes care of our visitor experiences including the badger hide, working with partners who run activities on-site and managing our social media. She is excited to be developing some new plans for Haweswater, so watch this space!

Jo Chamberlain

Tree Nursery Officer

Jo manages our on-site tree and wildflower nurseries, taking precious care of each plant throughout its development: from seed collection to propagation, growth, and planting. She shares her expertise with our volunteers, and is currently developing our new, larger nursery. She’s a mean juggler to boot!

Spike Webb

Warden

Spike has worked as an RSPB Warden at Haweswater for 20 years, there’s not much that he doesn’t know about our wildlife! He has planted tens of thousands of trees with our trusty volunteers at Haweswater, and is always keen to hear from other willing volunteers.

John Gorst

Catchment Partnership Officer

John makes sure that everything we do at Haweswater helps to improve the quality of water as it flows into the reservoir, as well as benefitting wildlife. He enjoys seeing the wildlife, especially red squirrels, that this landscape supports.

Bea Normington

Celebration Woods Officer and Administrator

Bea looks after our new Celebration Wood, sharing her love for nature with others to guide them in celebrating the lives of loved ones. She also takes care of the important admin that keeps our team’s ecosystem ticking. If you bump into Bea on the fells, you might score some of her famous home-baked goodies!

Richard Smith

Estate Worker and Deer Warden

Richard’s diverse role can see him repairing fences one day and fixing GPS collars for our cattle the next. He works closely with the UU team to monitor deer populations across the reserve. Also known as Haweswater’s Mountain Man, Richard can be a rare creature to encounter for those who stick to the valleys.

Ash Lyons

Conservation Scientist

Ash is researching the impacts that grazing animals have across Haweswater on soil health, plant re-establishment and wildlife restoration. Her research will help us share facts and figures about the effects of cattle and sheep on upland restoration with others. She’s hilarious too, and always has the team cracked up.

David and Faith Garvey

Livestock Team

David is our Livestock Manager and Faith is our Livestock Assistant, taking good care of our 300 sheep, 35 cattle and 4 Fell ponies, as well as the recovering health of our landscape. They're interested in exploring how farming and nature can work together. They live at Haweswater with their children in beautiful Swindale Valley.

Bill Kenmir

Landscape Recovery

Bill was instrumental in RSPB’s initial involvement taking on the Swindale and Naddle farm tenancies, and has worked to restore Haweswater’s habitats ever since. He is currently leading projects working with our neighbours to help restore nature on a landscape scale. He loves getting the chance to scarper into Haweswater’s fells.

Visit Wild Haweswater

Haweswater is open year round, and the public rights of walk can be accessed at all times. Please be considerate of our special habitats, wildlife and livestock when visiting. Discover more about exploring our wild spaces responsibly by checking the Countryside Code.

For immersive activities in nature at Haweswater, see the ‘Wildlife Experiences’ section.

To plan your visit, find out about our facilities, and for visitor enquiries, see the ‘Plan Your Visit’ section.