Longlands Nature Reserve-1187
Longlands Lake is on the site of the former Longlands iron ore mine, which first produced ore in 1879 from four pits. West Cumbria haematite was particularly valued because of its high metal content (51% on average at Longlands). However, by 1924 the mines had been abandoned, and in 1939 the mines started to subside, flooding the area to create what is now Longlands Lake.
Longlands was aquired by Cumbria County Council in 1980, and through sensitive management is now a haven for wildlife of all kinds. The combination of open water, the confluence of the Rivers Ehen and Keekle, herb-rich grassland, gorse scrub and broadleaved woodland invites a broad range of bird species. There is a wide variety of wildflowers, which are at their best in early summer.
Longlands Nature Reserve-1187
Longlands Lake is on the site of the former Longlands iron ore mine, which first produced ore in 1879 from four pits. West Cumbria haematite was particularly valued because of its high metal content (51% on average at Longlands). However, by 1924 the mines had been abandoned, and in 1939 the mines started to subside, flooding the area to create what is now Longlands Lake.
Longlands was aquired by Cumbria County Council in 1980, and through sensitive management is now a haven for wildlife of all kinds. The combination of open water, the confluence of the Rivers Ehen and Keekle, herb-rich grassland, gorse scrub and broadleaved woodland invites a broad range of bird species. There is a wide variety of wildflowers, which are at their best in early summer.