Inside the lush Lake District village staying green while Britain bakes

Inside the lush Lake District village staying green while Britain bakes While other parts of the UK struggle in a fifth balmy heatwave, frazzled families are flocking to England's wettest place, where there's not a dry blade of grass in sight While lawns are across the UK dry to a crisp during constant heatwaves, one postcard-pretty corner remains lush green. Beyond the bustling town of Keswick lies Seathwaite, a tranquil hamlet in the breathtaking Borrowdale Valley. Although the effects of climate change are increasingly felt across the country's picturesque escapes, time seems to stand still here - at least for now. Nestled in its own microclimate, the area is teeming with ancient temperate rainforests. The rain here is one for the history books: Seathwaite holds the title of the wettest inhabited place in England, averaging 3,552mm (nearly 140 inches) of rain per year. Downpours can be biblical, like the record-breaking single-day event in November 2009 when 314.4 mm (12.38 inches) drenched the valley in just 24 hours. Peter Edmondson was born and raised at Seathwaite Farm. At 71, he has never worked a day anywhere else. He still vividly remembers the great floods of 1966, when the hamlet was swamped by an extraordinary 242 inches over one long, soggy year, destroying crops and overwhelming livestock farmers. "We had two floods just three weeks apart because they hadn't repaired the riverbanks," recalls Peter, who was 11 at the time. "We had over a metre of water in the house, with furniture floating downstairs. We lived upstairs for six months before they put it right." While a good anorak is essential in these parts, residents are richly rewarded with the vistas of emerald, lime and glass green. Beauty aside, Seathwaite serves a critical ecological purpose. Jade Allen, a National Nature Reserve Officer at the National Trust, notes that Borrowdale shelters England's largest remaining patch of rainforest, home to internationally rare species. The high humidity and heavy rainfall create a unique sanctuary for mosses, liverworts, lichens and ferns that could not survive elsewhere. "These rainforests are some of our richest habitats for biodiversity and climate resilience," Jade says. "Healthy rainforest woodlands help capture carbon, improve soil health, reduce erosion, and store water by slowing its runoff. They help the landscapes cope with floods and droughts, and the more extreme weather patterns we're seeing." Farming in such an environment brings challenges, but Peter wouldn't be anywhere else. He is the fifth generation to helm the farm, which is cradled by mountains. It's so peaceful here that the stream's trickle provides a constant musical backdrop. But it's far from a lonely place. Hikers pass through regularly to tackle Scafell Pike, England's highest peak, or the rugged Great Gable. By night, romantic sorts can make the most of the dark skies for stargazing. This emerald gem is no hidden secret. Visitors arrive from across the UK and Europe, with licence plates from Denmark and Sweden appearing on the narrow access roads. Increased footfall is the biggest change Peter has witnessed over seven decades. While he enjoys chatting with travellers, the uptick has brought challenges: litter on trails, parked cars blocking the narrow lane to to the farm. Peter has eased the gridlock by opening one of his fields to facilitate two-way access for visitors and emergency vehicles. However, a far graver threat looms over the valley: wildfires. "If you've got careless wild camping or barbecues, it doesn't take a lot to set a big fire off," Peter warns. "Once it gets in the peat, it burns for weeks, unless we get a month's really wet weather. It hasn't happened these last few years, but you never know." The concern is shared by Awais Hamid, who is originally from Manchester but has now worked as an outdoor guide in the Lake District for four years. Awais runs a community organisation promoting outdoor adventures, and has noticed significant changes over the last few years. Despite the lush appearance of the grass, he notes the ground is far drier beneath the surface than in previous years. "A couple of weeks ago, one of the logs fell onto the grass," Awais recalls. "I was shocked by how quickly it spread, and almost lit. I've never seen grass lit that quickly." Awais uses raised fire pits to protect the ground, a practice the National Trust is urging all visitors to follow. Officers for the charity warn that disposable barbecues can scorch soil and spark wildfires just as easily as open campfires, encouraging visitors to enjoy a picnic or lunch at a local restaurant. For Awais, the recent heatwaves are a "double-edged sword". While warm weather encourages people outdoors, seasonal patterns feel erratic. "Ten years ago, you had distinct seasons," he notes. "Now you don't really have a distinct spring or summer." One of the most distinctive parts of the Seathwaite landscape has to be the crystal clear Sour Milk Ghyll waterfall tumbling down the mountainside. But prolonged heat causes it to run dry. "With the changing climate, are these rivers and waterfalls even going to be here in a couple of years' time?" Awais wonders. His concern is well-founded. In 2023, the River Derwent dried up for the third year running, prompting stark warnings from conservationists about the serious impact on the ecosystem. The Lake District, naturally, is known for its stunning bodies of water, attracting countless wild swimmers and boat enthusiasts every summer. George Chatterton runs Camp Kaizen - a hybrid fitness training camp based at Seathwaite Farm - and lives on site in a bell tent. Having spent consecutive months outdoors through spring rain, he appreciates the valley's formidable elements. "It's a beautifully savage environment. You can really feel the power of nature here. It's humbling - though maybe not for 60 days in a row!" He says Seathwaite encapsulates the classic Lake District identity: If you were to draw a picture of the Lake District, it would be here. "We are literally at the end of the road, straight into the mountains." Every local I speak to has seen a surge in visitors driven by climate change. As Mediterranean destinations experience scorching temperatures, tourists are increasingly seeking cooler domestic alternatives - a trend dubbed 'coolcations'. According to holiday rental brand Awaze, online searches for "escape the heat" jumped by 300%, while searches for 'coolcations' soared by 420%. The influx is being felt, as a short walk down the valley reveals. It's here where I visit The Yew Tree Inn, a historic pub operating since 1628. Landlady Holly McClary, now in her third season of steering the ship, reports a 40% rise in business compared to previous years. "The Lake District is the new place to come and visit," Holly says. "With it being so hot, people don't want to go abroad anymore. I think the Lake District is so beautiful and so accessible for so many people." Holly has been shocked by the conditions back in her home county of Cornwall, where the dried-out grass is "like straw". Here in Seathwaite, the well-watered greenery is still "flourishing". Of course, running a pub in such a notoriously rain-drenched place is not without its challenges. "During our first year, a flood during the August bank holiday meant we couldn't get anyone in or out of the pub, no bookings, nothing, "The following year, on the bank holiday weekend, we had beautiful sunshine and 270 bookings. It can be so drastic around here." While Seathwaite makes for a truly dreamy coolcation escape, it isn't immune to the horrors of climate change, and there are fears of what this idyllic locale might look like in 20 years. Jade said: "Even though the Lake District is naturally wetter than other parts of the UK, we're definitely still seeing the effects of longer and more frequent dry spells on the ground." One of the main challenges here is how the extended dry spell periods lead to the reduction of the usually abundant water stored in soils, streams, and groundwater. She explained: "These long, dry conditions stress the environment. When the rain does come, it comes in quite short heavy bursts, and it runs off really quickly rather than soaking into the ground where plants can use it." This is particularly worrying for species which depend on these famously damp conditions to survive. For local communities too, this additional stress on the valley will result in more flash flooding, with the landscape unable to hold onto water and reduce the flow as it should do. For now, rainy Seathwaite remains the Lake District's glimmering green treasure. We cannot afford to take it for granted. Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]