Brow Top and Cloffocks

You will find a range of flowering shrub beds in the area of Brow Top, Cloffocks and Allerdale House, as well as wildflower areas, beside Mill Stream.

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These are all accessible from a network of footpaths, including the ‘black path’.

 

The Cloffocks area of Workington originally consisted of meadow or common land beside the river Derwent, so it is fitting, for these areas to be re-generated with Heritage Lottery Funds, in the name of Get Cumbria Buzzing.

 

The flowering shrub beds and wildflower areas have been boosted by the work of Workington Nature Partnership staff and volunteers, as well as volunteers from initiatives including National Citizen Service.

As part of their Social Action pledge, the 2020 cohort aimed to contribute to ‘one million hours of doing good’ by helping plant hundreds of shrubs to brighten up this area. Buddleia, hebe and fuschia can be seen amongst cherry laurel, spiraea and hypericum.

 

These rejuvenated areas have created new habitats, whilst increasing biodiversity of species. Ladybirds, grasshoppers, blue tits and wrens can be seen. These contribute to the food chains of mammals and birds of prey, such as hedgehogs and sparrow hawks.

 

Look out for cowslips, oxslips and the bee orchid in late spring to early summertime. They grow on the grassed verges along the Mill stream and river Derwent.

The bee orchid mimics a female bee (not found in this country), to enable pollination by a male bee thinking he has found a mate.