The future of learning from the land at the last remaining agricultural college farm in Cumbria – Newton Rigg College’s Low Beckside Farm – looks set to be secure with the announcement that the final stages of its sale are on the verge of completion.

The purchase of the farm by the Ernest Cook Trust, a UK-wide educational charity, was announced back in July, and now, six weeks on, the sale is almost complete.

Already partnerships are being forged between local colleges, and young people are due on the site soon to learn about upland farming.

The Trust bought Low Beckside Farm, which had been put up for sale at a guide price of £1,725,000, in a bid to secure it as a land-based learning centre for young people. The Trust already has a presence in Cumbria through a partnership with Lowther Castle.

A landowner in five counties, the Trust runs education programmes on its own estates, as well as with partners’ estates, and offers grants for land-based learning activities. Its purchase of Low Beckside and its commitment to keeping it as an education centre, has been widely welcomed.

Its chief executive, Dr Victoria Edwards OBE, said in an interview at Low Beckside: “I am very excited at the prospect of farming here at Low Beckside, which will be a first for The Ernest Cook Trust.

"We are landowners, with many tenant farmers, but here we will be farming ourselves for the first time and we’re looking forward to working with young people who are also starting out on their farming careers.

"Key to making a success of Low Beckside is understanding what the community needs so we are looking forward to getting out, meeting and talking with people. We have already introduced ourselves to Mungrisdale Parish Council, and representatives of the farming community, and have received a very warm welcome.”

Victoria has met with Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, who welcomed the acquisition of Low Beckside by The Ernest Cook Trust. He said: “It has been great to meet again with Victoria and to discuss The Ernest Cook Trust’s positive plans for maintaining Low Beckside Farm as an educational learning site supporting young people.

"I am delighted that Low Beckside has been secured by The Ernest Cook Trust and I look forward to working with them on this exciting project. This development is another lifeline in saving land-based education in Eden and Cumbria. I will continue to fight for our rural sector and for a future for land-based education in Cumbria.”

Newton Rigg campus, the only agricultural college in Cumbria, closed in July.

Leo Group, which operates Omega Proteins in Penrith, has been confirmed as being “involved in the process” of buying the site and its Sewborwens Farm. The farm’s dairy herd is due to go up for sale on September 11 in Carlisle.

Low Beckside Farm was part of Newton Rigg agricultural college, which itself was owned by Askham Bryan College, based in York.