Swindale Beck

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Swindale Beck

Swindale Beck is a stream in Cumbria, England. It is formed at Swindale Head where Mosedale Beck, from the slopes of Tarn Crag, joins Hobgrumble Beck from Selside Pike. The stream flows north-east along Swindale and joins the River Lowther near Rosgill between Shap and Bampton. Its waters then flow via the River Eamont into the Solway Firth.

Prior to 1859, it had been straightened to clear land for grazing. [1] [2] In 2016, 750 metres (2,460 ft) of straightened channel was replaced with 890 m (2,920 ft) of a new sinuous channel, reconnecting the stream to its surrounding floodplain. [1] [3] This resulted in a rapid and marked improvement in its diversity. [4] In 2022, the project was awarded the European Riverprize. [4]

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Lee Schofield is a British naturalist and nature writer. He wrote Wild Fell: Fighting for Nature on a Lake District Hill Farm, which describes his work as site manager for the RSPB at Haweswater in the Lake District National Park.

References

  1. 1 2 "Case study:Swindale Beck Restoration". Restoring Europe's Rivers. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. "Swindale Beck restored bends benefit breeding fish". BBC News. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  3. Schofield, Lee. "The Shining River - RSPB England - Our work - The RSPB Community". community.rspb.org.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 Laville, Sandra (26 December 2022). "Diversity returns to Lakeland stream after restoration puts its bends back". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2022.

54°30′44″N2°44′49″W / 54.5121°N 2.747°W / 54.5121; -2.747