A quiet, rugged corner of the Lake District, where landscape restoration works alongside nature-friendly farming, to benefit wildlife, water and people.
Wild Haweswater is a landscape restoration partnership between the RSPB and landowner United Utilities, in the beautiful eastern Lake District National Park.
By protecting temperate rainforest, restoring upland plants and returning natural processes, Wild Haweswater is a place where wildlife can thrive; from Red Squirrels to Atlantic Salmon, Pied Flycatchers, rare lichens and much more, this mountainous landscape holds a richness of life.
By rewiggling rivers, rewetting peat bogs, reconnecting floodplains, and replanting thousands of lost trees, we’re restoring natural solutions. They improve the behaviour and quality of water flowing into Haweswater reservoir – which provides 2 million people across Cumbria and the North West with their daily drinking water.
Steeped in cultural and natural heritage, Wild Haweswater attracts thousands of people to its mountainous landscape each year. Looking closer, vital ‘ecosystem services’ hide in the landscape. These nature-based solutions support people by capturing carbon, reducing flooding, improving soil health and increasing wildlife. Our eco-tourism offer provides nature-rich experiences and supports local businesses.
Wild Haweswater’s Celebration Wood lies adjacent to the mossy, temperate rainforest of Naddle Forest. This rugged corner of the eastern Lake District National Park is a beautiful, peaceful place for quiet reflection and connection 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.
The quiet charm of Wild 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.
Wild 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 rainforest where Red Squirrels play.
Explore nature with our collection of events and experiences brought to you by the RSPB and our partners.
Wild 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, Wild 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 Wild Haweswater’s landscape is not only beautiful, but also a place where nature and people thrive.
Immerse yourself in our Vision for Wild Haweswater’s Future.
Wild Fell, written by our former RSPB Site Manager for Wild 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!
Wild Haweswater is open year round, and the public rights of way 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 Wild Haweswater, see the ‘Events and Experiences’ section.
To plan your visit, find out about our facilities, and for visitor enquiries, see the ‘Plan Your Visit’ section.
