Go Wild in Eden

The trout fishing season started on 15 March and the roving angler scheme for the Eden Valley – Go Wild in Eden – is back for 2009 with a new online facility for web-happy anglers. Go Wild provides exclusive access to over 25 beats of wild brown trout and grayling fishing in beautiful surroundings.

John Stock wild brown trout fishing on the Temple Sowerby Go Wild beat on the River Eden. Photo taken by Linda Stock

As well as providing some very challenging fishing, Go Wild enables anglers to enjoy some of Cumbria’s most unspoiled scenery. As the beats are on private land, accessible only with permission from the landowner or through the Go Wild scheme, you can enjoy these hidden gems of the Cumbrian countryside away from the crowds.

Managed by the Eden Rivers Trust, Go Wild in Eden is now in its fifth year and has proved very popular with local and visiting anglers, as well as landowners, who kindly allow Go Wild anglers access to their land. The number of beats has more than doubled in five years!

John Stock, a local angler who regularly fishes the Go Wild beats, said: “This is a golden opportunity to fish for wild brown trout in beautiful surroundings for as little as £ 2:50 a day. “

For those with access to the internet, visit www.go-wild.org.uk to see the fishing available, down load beat maps and purchase tokens. Otherwise you can obtain these from Eden Rivers Trust on 01768 866788 or email info@go-wild.org.uk. Beat maps and tokens are also available from John Norris of Penrith and Appleby and Carlisle Tourist Information Centres.

Tokens are available in books of 4 (£ 10) or 10 (£ 25) and beats vary in cost; from one to four tokens per beat.

The brown trout season runs from 15th March to 30th September and you can fish for grayling from the 16th June to the 14th March.

FishingMagic Note

• The Eden Rivers Trust is a charity (Reg. Charity No.1059534), set up in 1996 with two principal aims:

• To assist in the conservation, protection and improvement of rivers, streams, their bank sides and all associated wildlife in the Eden catchment.
• To increase the knowledge and awareness of the importance and beauty of the River Eden and its catchment.

• The Trust relies on membership and fund raising to carry out conservation work within the Eden area.

• To date the Trust has spent more than £ 600,000 on river habitat improvements throughout the River Eden catchment. It carries out electro-fishing surveys at 300 sites each year and delivers educational visits to over 40 schools within the Eden catchment every year.

• The Trust relies heavily on project funding from various sources to deliver habitat restoration, education and access projects. As the Trust has grown over recent years, so too has the need for additional funding to cover core costs (staffing, office space etc). For this the Trust needs donations from corporate sponsors and individuals.

Further information is available at www.edenriverstrust.org.uk.