Hot weather draws us to water 💧 Explore our 11 Watery Walks this summer. Download a trail guide packed with river facts, family activities and creative discoveries, from River Totems at Egremont to the restoration frame at Derwent Water. 🌿 www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/trails #RiverWalks

Something exciting is taking shape in Distington! 🌿 Artist Daniel Weatheritt is putting the finishing touches to a new Watery Walk sculpture, inspired by ideas from Year 3 pupils at Distington Primary School. We can't wait to share it! 💙 #WateryWalk #PublicArt

🧵 A river given room to breathe. 🌿🐟 We've just completed the final works on a restoration project along a tributary of St John's Beck. Working with a local farmer, we reconnected the river with its floodplain, restored natural processes and created a new side channel.

Two new NFM ponds on Tom Rudd Beck in Cockermouth 💧🌿 They'll help slow and store water during heavy rainfall and, over time, become valuable wetland habitat for wildlife. Working with nature to build resilience for people and wildlife. #NaturalFloodManagement

Kingfisher is getting plenty of votes for the next Bank of England banknote. We're voting Atlantic salmon. 🐟 One of Britain's most remarkable wildlife migrations. Now an Endangered species in Great Britain. That's a story worth putting in people's pockets. www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/he...

Biosecurity 💦 Sounds complicated, but it's simply about stopping invasive species from spreading. As we head outdoors to play, a few simple actions can make a big difference 🌿 Swipe to find out how you can help protect Cumbria's wild waters 👉

Got Himalayan balsam near you? 🌸 Why not gather some friends and start a balsam bashing group? We can provide support, advice & guidance to help. Swipe to learn more 👉 Together we can help restore healthier riverbanks across West Cumbria 🌱 www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/projects/loc...

It’s #INNSWeek 🌿 Invasive non-native species can have a huge impact on our rivers and wildlife. Swipe to learn more about Himalayan balsam and how you can help. Join a balsam bash, or start your own group and help protect our rivers 💪 www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/projects/loc... #HimalayanBalsam

Delighted to welcome Baroness Hayman, Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animal Welfare, to Cumbria last Friday to see our work tackling invasive non-native species. With 43M visitors to Cumbria each year, spreading the message of Check, Clean, Dry is vital to protect our blue spaces. 🌿💧

Had a great strategy session at Keswick Rugby Club with Trustees & the team, lots of good thinking and a really positive feel for what’s next. Nice surprise spotting Jennings Brewery Balsam Basher on the bar too 🍻 If you fancy joining a bash, read more 👉https://bit.ly/4uAJM1u

Beer + balsam = oddly perfect combo 🍺🌿 Join our open balsam bash with Jennings Brewery Wed 24 June 10–3. Help tackle invasive Himalayan balsam, then enjoy a free pint. Drop in, do what you can, leave when you like. #PullTogether #BalsamBasher www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk/pages/wcrt-x...

We’re hiring 🌿 Two roles working on rivers and catchments. 🌳Project Officer (Commons) – full time, 12 months (extension expected). Deadline 24 June, 9am 💧 Catchment Officer – full time, permanent. Deadline 30 June, 9am Details on our website. www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/jobs

Massive thanks to everyone who joined our first #PullTogether event with @jenningsbrewery25 on Saturday. 💚 50,490 Himalayan balsam plants pulled. 13 million seeds prevented from spreading. 38% of target achieved. Fancy helping us finish the job? www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk/pages/wcrt-x...

What a week! First up, a few photos from our balsam bash with the Jennings Brewery team. 🍻🌿 It was great to meet the people behind the pints and see them get stuck into pulling Himalayan balsam ahead of our first public bash of the season. More photos to come!

✔️ VOTE FOR ATLANTIC SALMON We're pleased to share the news that Atlantic salmon have been shortlisted as one of the potential animals to appear on future Bank of England notes. Please spare 2 minutes to vote at 👉https://app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/41844465/6049/

🎉 We're celebrating a Volunteer Week milestone! 60 volunteers have now reached 50 hours of volunteering with West Cumbria Rivers Trust and earned one of our 50-hour tops. 💚 Thank you to everyone who gives their time to help rivers, wildlife and local communities thrive. #VolunteersWeek

Who knew a handful of willow cuttings could do so much? These goat willows were planted to help slow erosion along the River Irt. As they grow, their roots help stabilise the bank while their branches soften the force of the water. An added bonus? Future habitat for fish and other wildlife. 🐟🌿

Our first Pull Together: Bash the Balsam event with Jennings Brewery is on 6 June. Help protect the river Cocker on 6 June and get a free pint afterwards (18+). www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk/pages/wcrt-x... #PullTogether #RiverCocker #Volunteering

We get the idea behind No Mow May. A break from mowing is good, and can give pollinators a short-term boost. But maybe the real win is more permanent wild corners in your garden 24/7. #WildlifeGardening #Pollinators

Trees and rivers are deeply connected. 🌳💧 Trees shade rivers, cool the water, slow heavy rainfall and hold riverbanks together. Fallen leaves and branches create habitat for wildlife too. Healthy rivers need trees. What’s your favourite river like? #NatureRecovery #Rivers #Wildlife

Woodlands for Water update 🌿 Our target was 20ha of new woodland in 25-26 and we delivered 70.3ha across 7 sites, plus 92,105 trees and 580m of hedgerow. If you have 1ha+ in West Cumbria (gardens excluded), funding is available & we’d love to hear from you.🌱 bit.ly/4cnOQzt

A first outing for new tools at Hallsenna 🌱 Volunteers tested tree poppers to remove scrub by the roots on this lowland peat site. Birch encroachment can dry peat and release stored carbon. Careful management helps restore peat, supporting habitats and river resilience. 🌿

🌿 New installations have gone up at Walkmill Community Woodland Explore 29 new features on the site’s history, wildlife and heritage – from story benches & tactile trails to a striking mining memorial. Co-created with the local community using memories & oral histories. Discover: www.walkmill.org

Our new riverside artwork has finally been unveiled at Derwent Water 💧🌿 Created by Daniel Weatheritt, the oak sculpture celebrates river restoration at Barrow Beck and was inspired by ideas from young people. Read more: www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/news/new-scu...

🐸 Toad Patrol volunteers needed! Frogs, toads & newts are crossing roads in Keswick this spring. Help get them safely across – no experience needed, equipment provided. Even a few evenings makes a huge difference! 💚 Sign up: westcumbriariverstrust.org/volunteer

✨ Last week, Isabella joined us here at WCRT for her Dream Placement! She got hands-on with water sampling, community events, visitor surveys, Youth Panel planning, and even hedge laying & tree planting. She said it was “inspiring to see how WCRT protects rivers, land, and communities” 🌱

Whilst you might think winter is still hanging around, our freshwater friends are already partying into spring! 🐸🌱 Frogs, toads and newts are on the move; our volunteers captured these images from Walkmill Community Woodland near Whitehaven. Nature is waking up! #RiverWildlife #SpringAwakening

Characters are coming to life on the Derwent Water sculpture! 🎨✨ We’ve set an installation date – by month’s end it will finally meet the water that inspired it. We can’t wait to share it with you!

We popped back to Bransty Primary to see our SuDS system in action! 🌧️➡️🌱 Flooded garden? Now a place for water play and learning, supporting children and nature together in West Cumbria. #GreenerGrounds #SuDS #NaturePlay

Things are moving fast on the Derwent Water sculpture. Careful carving is turning into something that feels properly whole, with new details appearing daily. We’re even starting to talk installation dates now. Exciting times ahead. #WateryWalks #DrawnToWater #RiversAndArt

🌱 New INNS sightings in South Cumbria! We need your eyes on the ground to map invasive species. Especially keen on Wigton area! Check what to look for: www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/wildlife/inns Log your sightings: innsmapper.org/home

Daniel barely took a break over the festive period, and the Derwent Water sculpture is taking shape ✨ The box panels show flowing water channels, a forest of leaves – oak, sycamore, silver birch, ash, alder, douglas fir, scots pine – and a little vendace has appeared too!

Thrilled to see our #GreenerGrounds work on the BBC! 🌿 Turning school grounds into buzzing green spaces with wildlife, rain gardens & wildflowers – learning and nature, all in one. Check out the feature 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🎉 Look who’s moving in! We spotted a juvenile lamprey in a newly restored stretch of the Upper River Ehen. After 1km of river restoration this summer, it’s brilliant to see how quickly wildlife responds when nature gets a helping hand. 🌊 #RiverRestoration #RiverEhen #WildlifeWins

Volunteers groups nr Chelmsford are inspiring us by tackling Himalayan balsam on their local stream. Here at WCRT, we’re aiming to clear it from the whole Derwent catchment. This year, Lottery Community funding will help set up new balsam groups. 💚👀 www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/projects/inns

New year, new goals 👀 Fancy helping your local patch? Spot invasive non-native species (INNS) on your walks & upload sightings to the FREE INNS Mapper app. Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed & skunk cabbage are top of our list – every record helps rivers & wildlife 💚

As the year draws to a close, here are a few moments from our rivers and wetlands in West Cumbria. Thanks for being part of the journey this year. Find out how you can support our work: www.westcumbriariverstrust.org

40 amazing volunteers joined our annual celebration! 🎉 We walked the St John’s in the Vale catchment, saw our projects in action, enjoyed a buffet from High Tea Guy 🍽️, and handed out awards – WCRT buffs included! 💚🧣

Our new Walkmill Community Woodland website is live: www.walkmill.org A fresh hub for events, activities, volunteering and the woodland’s rich history, including newly shared photos uncovered with help from Cumbria Archives. More events landing in the new year. We hope you like it...

Our Assistant Director, Vikki Salas, is on BBC Look North (NE & Cumbria) tonight talking about our Resilient Glenderamackin project as part of their feature marking ten years since Storm Desmond 🌊 Restoring rivers, reconnecting floodplains & protecting communities ❤️ Catch it at 6.30pm!

Something magical is brewing in the workshop… 🎄 Artist Daniel Weatheritt + National Trust are shaping a new piece, Drawn to Water, heading to the shores of Derwent Water early next year. Supported by the Species Survival Fund. #WateryWalks #DrawnToWater #WCRTWalks

Something special is happening! 👀🐟 Not one, not two, but three Atlantic salmon have reached their spawning grounds where we carried out river restoration this summer. After a 4,000–6,000 km migration, they’ve made it home. Nature wins again. 👏🐟

When rivers can be rivers, wildlife bounces back 🌊 How Beck near St John’s Beck once had just 4 trout per 100m². After restoration with boulders, trees and woody debris, our latest survey shows there are now 80 🐟 Nature bounces back when it has the right conditions. #HealthyRivers #NatureRecovery

It’s been a busy summer in waders at Legburthwaite, near Thirlmere 🌊 We’ve been restoring another stretch of river to create more space and better habitat for salmon, lamprey and trout 🐟

Farmers urgently need government support to restore rivers and make #SpaceForWater, which will create wildlife habitat, clean our waters, and protect communities from flood and drought. We've nearly reached our goal of 10,000 signatures. Help us get there: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

Make a real impact on rivers and wildlife! We’re looking for trustees with a passion for conservation, especially those with commercial, legal, or community/education experience. Find out more ￫ www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/news/new-tru...

1km of river restoration on the River Ehen this summer! Revetments removed, boulders added, floodplains reconnected. More resilient habitat for freshwater mussels, Atlantic salmon & other wildlife. Thanks to Environment Agency, United Utilities, Wild Ennerdale, Natural England.

Something exciting is taking shape on Derwent Water 👀 We’re working with the National Trust & artist Daniel Weatheritt on a new sculpture project – part of a bigger WCRT Watery Walk coming soon. Our Youth Panel’s been helping dream it up… watch this space!

Tackling Japanese Knotweed at its source 🌱 With Environment Agency permission we’re using a water-safe, targeted herbicide (blue dye shows treated areas). This invasive INNS spreads fast and can damage riverbanks – careful, timely management protects our rivers.

A wild first week for our apprentices! 🌿 From peat probes on the Thirlmere fells ⛰️ to moss ID at Glasson Moss 🌱, a Bioblitz at Walkmill 🪰, and bat boxes at Westogether 🦇 – they’ve been busy learning, surveying and scything their way into conservation life! 💪