Fields of gently waving grasses splashed with purple, yellow and white flowers evoke sleepy summer villages all over Britain. Sadly, many of these images only exist as memories, as hay meadows have suffered a catastrophic decline since the 1950s.

Agricultural practices of the 1950s converted 'herb meadows' to more productive grasslands, dominated by lush grasses. In the Lake District, many meadows were ploughed up during the second World War so that potatoes could be grown.

However, there are still pockets of the country where hay meadows are more common because the type of land and the regional climate dictate the use of older farming practices. In the north of England, traditional meadows are still found in the north Pennines, North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Here some of the higher altitude meadows support specialist plants species, such as wood crane's-bill and many of the lady's mantle species. There are also lowland meadows, characterised by their assemblages of more common plant species.

In addition, roadside verges near fields that have been converted to lush grasslands often act as a reservoir of meadow flower species. It also helps that many land managers are proud of their meadows and very knowledgeable about the species they support and the management required to maintain them.

Click here to find out about our hay meadow project, Hay-Day.

Download our hay meadow walks leaflet - the download includes three walks to choose from at Ravenstonedale, Tarn Hows and Watermillock.