Judith’s Wood A project of Skelsmergh and Scalthwaiterigg Parish Council

Judith’s Wood is two fields near Gurnall Bridge created by a new section of road replacing one that was washed away during Storm Desmond. The land, a river terrace alongside the River Sprint, was formerly owned by the late Judith Helling and has since passed into the ownership of the Stephenson Trust. They planted a roadside hedge and a number of native trees. The Trust invited the Parish Council to manage the land in conjunction with an existing access agreement on the adjoining riverbank. A partnership was created between local residents, the Parish Council and Kendal Conservation Volunteers to carry out the project initially on a fifteen-year licence. A grant was gained from Westmorland and Furness Council as part of their goal to plant a tree for every resident – 370 in the case of our Parish! The Trust are arranging for mature trees along the boundary to be made safe. Meanwhile, volunteers have restored the existing hedge and trees. Their old tree guards will be reused to protect the new planting of 370 native trees sometime this spring. A wide path through the new wood will create diverse edge habitat and meadow as well as provide access. The woodland will, in part, stabilise the river bank and shade the river, a SSSI for white clawed crayfish and home to many other riparian plants and animals including dipper, otter and aspen. The land will be known locally as Judith’s Wood in memory of the original owner. The five acres will close a gap in the wildlife rich woodland corridor running along the River Sprint from Sprint Mill well into Longsleddale. The work is congruent with the Cumbria Nature Recovery Plan for the area which encourages landowners to care for, restore and enhance a corridor of woodland and flower meadows along the valley. The Parish is grateful for advice from The Woodland Trust, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Natural Kendal.

Update: 17th March 2026

The felling has taken place.

The hazel and willow have been coppiced.

The ash has had a couple of the overhanging branches removed.

The cherry came down and is lying along the bank as dead wood.

The other ash has been pollarded at about 5 metres.

The logs have been stacked as dead wood habitat.

The wood chip has been spread on the muddy sections of the path - none left for mulching the new trees though.

The path along the north edge is churned up but everywhere else tidy.

There is now room for a couple of oaks in the NW corner by the bench I think.

KCV were on site again today completing the placement of tree guards and stakes on the trees planted last week - thanks again folks!