The Milbourn family first came to Walby Grange in 1928. This family farm lies in the Solway Basin, a mile from the River Eden and is built on top of the line of Hadrian’s Wall, a World Heritage Site.

Walby Grange is a mixed farm and the enterprises have included dairy cows for milk production, cattle and sheep rearing for beef and lamb production and growing cereal crops such as wheat for grinding into flour for making bread, biscuits and cakes and barley for animal feed. Until 1992 the family also grew their own vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and turnips.

In 1992 Neil Milbourn came home from agricultural college and became more involved in the family business. He married Katie in 2000 and they have three children. In 2006 Neil and Katie decided that they would like to diversify the family business and open a farm visitor attraction. After months of research and preparation they applied to Carlisle City Council for planning permission in 2007. Work on converting the cattle and silage buildings finally began in March 2008 and was completed in July 2008.

The milking cows were sold throughout 2007, ending almost 80 years of milk production on the farm. Walby Grange is made up of 430 acres of land, 30 acres of which now comprise Walby Farm Park. In addition to the grazing land 140 acres of winter barley, 60 acres of winter wheat, 43 acres of spring barley, and 24 acres of spring wheat were sown in 2008. There is a large scale map of the whole farm on the wall near Reception where you can see the unusual field names on the farm! The field names help make sure agricultural operations and livestock end up in the right fields!

Now we have lots of other animals, even pigs have returned to the farm after 35 years!  We hope you like the picture here of Sophie and Winston's piglets!