Welcome To Witherslack Orchards

Sustainable | Fresh | Hand-Crafted

About Us

Witherslack Hall Estate sits on the edge of the Winster Valley in Southern Lakeland. Bordered to the West by the river Winster and to the East by Whitbarrow Scar, this 800 hectare Estate comprises the largest area of semi natural woodland in Cumbria.

Run as part of the Estate, Witherslack Orchards manages 21 orchards of varying sizes. Most are ancient orchards stocked with local varieties of damson and apple trees. We have also identified three sites where the orchards have been lost, here we have planted new trees to restore the landscape and increase biodiversity.

Sustainably Made

Conservation

Our conservation graziers graze their flock of rare breed British sheep in the orchards. Grazing sensitively and keeping stock levels low helps us to produce a species rich grassland full of wildflowers and insect life.

Biodiversity

Witherslack Orchards manages 21 orchards of varying sizes. Most are ancient orchards stocked with local varieties of damson and apple trees. We have also identified three sites where the orchards have been lost, here we have planted new trees to restore the landscape and increase biodiversity.

Preservation

We are committed to the preservation and restoration of our orchards. 2018 saw us enter 12 of the orchards into a Higher Level Countryside Stewardship agreement.

Small Batch Production

Our damsons are hand picked, frozen, then processed by a member of our team into the sweet damson syrup that we use in our apple and damson juice.
Apples are taken up to our site at Halecat. Here they are hand-processed to ensure only the best then go onto to be pulped.