Gowbarrow Hall Farm was very fortunate to be able to restore their Georgian bank barn, with the support from Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL), to create a multi-purpose space that can be used for events, training courses and a base to host school visits. The space opened in September 2023 and has since been used for a huge variety of events, from farmer training to corporate days wanting to learn more about regenerative farming.
The barn historically was used to store hay in the loft and house livestock downstairs, but we no longer needed it for these purposes. We no longer house any livestock and the space was not suitable for the small number of hay bales we make every year. The barn needed some structural repair but was not contributing economically to our farming business, so turning it into the beautiful space that it is now made absolute sense. Turning the space into an education room has given the barn a new purpose. It means we now have a professional space for hosting courses and events, including those run by an external organisation, Wilderculture CIC based in Ambleside. Our farm has been a base for their courses for several years.
As well as a large events space upstairs, the funding also allowed us to develop downstairs, which includes a commercial kitchen and dining space, so all events can be catered for using farm produce. We are particularly pleased that a fallen beech tree on the farm has been made into the table and chairs for the dining room, which can seat up to 32 people.
September 2022
September 2023
A family run farm in the Lake District National Park, by the shores of Ullswater.
Claire: 07795 841911
Sam: 07961 025090
Gowbarrow Hall, Watermillock, CA11 0JP
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