Claver Hill, Ridge Lane, Lancaster, LA1 3JY

Claver Hill is a community growing project, located on six acres of land on the edge of Lancaster. The project hosts a number of different initiatives which you can explore below or watch this video to find out more about Claver Hill. Everyone is welcome to join our community.  Just come by for a tour and get stuck in!  

Interested in joining us and becoming a member?   

Get in touch at: claverhill.lancaster@gmail.com  

or Contact Steve Jenkins WhatsApp 07794 298910 

or Kathy Barton via email kathybarton54@yahoo.com

To receive our newsletter click this link to sign up here 

Claver Hill offers community apple pressing in September and October to find out more, click to see the leaflet here 

This is part of Share the Harvest Events across the district for fruit pressing dates and more details,  click the link

Claver is now a registered charity and its official name is the Claver Hill Project, registered charity number 1209697

Spud club is a no-dig food growing project open to anyone from the community to grow food together whilst building friendship and sharing food, recipes, stories, skills, and knowledge.  All are welcome to join us.  Working collectively we plan, sow, and harvest produce from over 50 beds throughout the year…meaning that members can take home a wide variety of delicious veg and fruit. 

The Lancaster Seed Library is bringing back the lost art & skill of seed saving. It reskills local growers & gardeners in seed saving whilst developing a living bank of locally adapted seed varieties at Claver Hill. We run skill shares and practical sessions throughout the year. We also have a seed library within Lancaster Central library where you can pick up and drop of seeds, as well as a number of Sew and Sow libraries around Lancaster and Morecambe. 

Beekeeping and flower Farm

The team maintains several Pollinator spaces around the site which keep the bees from our 5 hives happy.  The flowers also bring cheer to everyone who visits and works at Claver Hill.


This project was set up to explore the feasibility of natural dyes in Lancaster and Morecambe and to raise awareness of the toxic effects of industrial dyes on the environment and implications for health. The group have a number of growing beds around the site where plants are grown for dyes and have so far extracted a whole range of beautiful colours from wild and cultivated plants. 

Potato Day

Potato Day is always the last Saturday of January, in collaboration with Transition City Lancaster we host an annual Potato Day where vast quantities of organic seed potatoes are sold to the public. To make the most of it all, we also have a seed swapping/saving stall along with our wonderful homemade jams and chutneys. 

We have two nature trails at Claver Hill.  The new Accessible Nature Trail is shorter and wheelchair friendly.

You can find the QR Audio Guide  to the Nature Trail here

The Wild Nature Trail travels on uneven ground which can get muddy.  

 Please take care.  

You can find a link to the Wild Nature Trail map and leaflet here

Have a look at both nature trails on a map,  here

Global Link is working in partnership with Claver Hill to enable refugees and asylum seekers to grow their own organic food, both at Claver Hill and in their own yards and gardens. This project brings refugees and asylum seekers together with the local community, offering the opportunity to share skills and cultures. The project is managed by Vaso who runs weekly sessions on Sundays 2-4PM.

Claver Hill Tree Nursery and Coppice

The Tree Nursery group supports grafting and growing fruit trees for the community. The group runs skill share sessions on coppicing and pruning in order to maintain the shelter belts and our Heritage Apple Tree collection.  We have a basket willow coppice and are looking for a keen tree person to oversee the growing of native deciduous trees for community planting.

Community Composting and Demonstration Site

Claver Hill has joined the group of Community Composting Sites around Lancaster.  We accept kitchen veg waste and garden clippings to compost and then share when the process is complete.  We often hold workshops to explore ideas and methods on composting

Accessible Nature Trail 


The Claver Hill Accessible Nature Trail has a surface suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, where local residents can enjoy nature or participate in the many community projects on site.

(There is limited parking at Claver Hill with accessible parking given priority)

To find out more about Lancaster Green Spaces their website link is here

Have you heard about the beast?

No-one knows for sure how long the Beast has lain in slumber at the bottom of Claver Hill. Check out the story by Kathy Barton and The Lore Lancaster here

Cover photo by Jim Greenan of the tapestry made by Sewing Cafe Lancaster in collaboration with Claver Hill.  First published in Thrive Magazine by Food Futures.