CUMBRIA Wildlife Trust has been awarded £1.6 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund for the purchase, restoration and access improvements to Eycott Hill.

Eycott Hill, between Penrith and Keswick, was identified by the trust five years ago as a site for purchase due to its potential for restoration and as a demonstration site for wildlife-friendly upland land management.

When it came on the market in 2012 Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Manager, David Harpley, knew that he had to act.

“Eycott Hill had not been managed in the right way for wildlife but I could see the potential to make this a great place for nature," he said.

“We approached Esmée Fairbairn, a charitable trust, who bought the site at auction on our behalf, the race was then on to fundraise for the purchase and restoration work before our two-year deadline expired.”

Helen Duxbury, Development Manager at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “It has taken two years, many grant applications and lots of requests to our members for support, but I am over the moon we have secured this final grant.

“I’m now looking forward to restoration work and access improvements getting underway this spring.”

At 216 hectares, Eycott Hill is the largest isolated piece of open access land in the National Park and the full grant will enable Cumbria Wildlife Trust to provide public access to the site for the first time.