As I was driving through Kendal with my car window down, watching daffodils been given out outside the church for Mother’s Day and flowers emerging through the flower beds, I thought to myself, at last, Spring might be here.

However, I was wrong, I’m back in the office again this morning and it’s raining once again. But let’s hope the snow is well and truly behind us for this year and doesn’t affect lambing again (or the milk tankers collection!).

It felt like I had a nice long weekend this week, on Friday I drove across to Newcastle for the Northumbria and Cumbria Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) centenary AGM.

The day included a tour of the Komatsu factory, a trip down the Victorian tunnels which are approximately 60ft under Newcastle and an evening dinner and presentation at the Discovery Museum, where my Colleague Tim Sedgewick received the Top Student award.

Saturday was quite literally a rugby day, first watching Kirkby Lonsdale record a great win over 6th place Billingham, they’re now only 1 point behind Kendal with a game in hand! England didn’t fair quite as well and hampered my chances in the inter-office six nations competition!

Alongside the work now that the Schemes and grant application windows have opened, we still have new properties coming to the market.

The 100 acre Rawfold Farm situated in the Duddon Valley will be auctioned in April and I have another 110 acre stock farm in the Eden Valley which will be coming up for sale by private treaty shortly.

Our first land auctions of the year were successful with 31.63 acres of land at Barber Green and Ayside averaging £8,250 per acre and a 3.82 acre block on the outskirts of Allithwaite with development potential, selling for £60,000 (£15,727 per acre).

So as I sign this off, I wish you all a happy Easter and for the sheep farmers, I hope the weather starts to be kinder.

Mark Barrow

Associate & Chartered Surveyor at H&H Michael CL Hodgson