The area is of international importance for bird life, rare plants and its vast array of different habitats which provide homes for many animals. It also boasts a variety of landscapes including sand dunes, salt marsh, raised mires sand and mud flats and a wealth of rich agricultural land.Annual Hedgelaying Competition
The Tenth North Cumberland Style Hedgelaying Competition
and Training Event
Held on Saturday 16th February, at Southerfield House, Southerfield near Abbeytown, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs G Wilson and Sons, the event proved to be popular and spectators gathered to watch the fine skills of the competitors, in this traditional craft.
This year the judge, Mr William Bell, commented that the standard of the competition remains excellent and the 13 trainees produced a very well laid hedge and hedgebank. The competition keeps alive the tradition of the North Cumberland Style of hedgelaying which provides a unique feature of the field boundaries of the Solway Plain landscape.
Prizes were presented by Mrs J A Wilson. The results were:
- Open Class
- (Prizes sponsored by Rickerby Ltd)
- Michael Roebuck, Thurstonfield
- John Wills, Whitrigg, Bowness on Solway
- James Graham, Bowness on Solway
- Novice Class
- ( Prizes sponsored by WM Plant)
- Jane Hodgson and Gareth Tate, Burgh by Sands
- Junior Class
- Richard Graham, Longburgh
- Best Hedgebank Restoration
- (prize by Mr R Wills, Bowness on Solway)
- James Graham
- The Alan Duckett Trophy for best Summer Growth
- Michael Roebuck
Catering was provided by 'Meals on Wheels'. Volunteers from the Solway Coast Community Volunteer Group acted as stewards for the day and also in the setting up of the event.
The Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, who organised the competition would like to thank the following funders and sponsors for their generosity to make the event possible:
- 'Work the View' Project within Rural Skills Cumbria, through Friends of the Lake District. This project is part financed by the European Agriculture Fund of Rural Development: Europe Investing in rural areas.
- Rickerby Ltd, WM Plant, Dryden Ward Fencing from Brayton, Aspatria, Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd, Aspatria Farmers Ltd, Mr R Wills and landowner Mr G Wilson.
A Shared Responsibility for a Very Special Place
Grune Point Pill Box
The Solway Coast AONB has been relatively unchanged since becoming a designated area in 1964. The area covers most of the English Solway Firth coastline from Rockcliffe to Maryport, with the exception of the town of Silloth on Solway.
The Solway Coast has an abundance of natural landscapes and is renowned for its spectacular sunsets.
The staff and management of the Solway Coast AONB are totally committed to the area, working in partnership with the Joint Advisory Committee in order to continue the excellent work already completed to protect and enhance the area.
