Farming in the Lake District

Herdwick sheep

The difficult upland terrain here combined with the wet and windy weather makes farming a particular challenge in the Lake District. With little arable land or lowland fields for raising cows other than the hardiest breeds, the farmers here have a long tradition of shepherding hefted flocks of hardy sheep, namely the Herdwick. These sweet faced, wiry coated animals have become synonymous with the Lake District landscape and were beloved by Beatrix Potter who farmed them. They are a distinctive stocky, double-coated breed with grey fleeces and white faces and legs. Born black, they slowly lighten as they age. When they are into their second year and still have a darker brownish torso with white smiling faces, they are called "hoggs". 

The process of hefting these sheep has been going on for generations, with mother's showing their lambs not to stray off a particular territory which can include common land where many flocks share grazing space. Many of the farms we look after have such landlord flocks which remain with the farm. Some of the Herdwicks belonging to the family at Hill Top are descendants of Beatrix Potter's own flock and we hope to see them grazing their ancestral lands for years to come. 

Common land

A centuries old practice, common land traditionally sustained the poorest people in rural communities along with yeoman farmers who owned no land of their own, providing them with a source of wood, bracken for bedding and pasture for livestock.  Today, this land management system is under threat with just 3% of England left as Common Land. It still has a stronghold in the Lake District however, consisting of 30% of the land here. Commoning involves a group of farmers who have "commoners rights" to graze their animals on a shared piece of land without fences or boundaries between them. Hefted sheep stay on their patch through flock memory passed down through the generations. The land itself is owned by a an individual, a charity, utility company or a combination but is always open access land.

When sustainably managed, Common Land has helped ensure the survival of ancient monuments and vital habitat for wildlife so it isn't surprising that 82% of commons are in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Nature friendly farming 

As part of our work for nature, we’ve been working with farmers to assess the health of the land in our care while working towards increasing soil health, habitat and biodiversity. We're finding the right balance of grazing with a variety of traditional livestock including Galloway cows, creating woodland pastures, allowing space for wetlands, putting in edible hedgerows in ways to help both wildlife and farming to flourish. With climate change hitting hard in the lake district and more droughts and floods affecting all those who live and work here, it is more important than ever to build resilience into the land while producing healthy local produce. 

Bringing back traditional hedgerows

Hedgerows are an integral feature of the British countryside, and each county has it's specific tradition when it comes to the chosen species of trees and bushes as well as its own style of hedge laying. Used by farmers as living fences, they also provide shelter from the elements and an added source of nutrients for livestock. Unfortunately, the UK's hedgerows have declined by half since the second world war and the National Trust are working hard to reverse that trend.  

In the Lake District, this means surveying our existing hedges, continuing with traditional hedge laying practices and planting more blossom rich or "edible" hedges on farmland and beyond. Recognizing the benefits to both nature and their livestock, these hedges are often put in place by request of the local farm tenants 

The Countryside Code 

Farming in the Lake District can be very rewarding but it is also hard work, especially when visitors don't realise the impact their actions can have on a farmer's livelihood. 

You can help by making sure to always follow the Countryside Code and never parking in front of gates, leaving gates as you found them, always taking your litter with you and driving carefully around tractors.  

It is especially important to always keep your dogs under close control and on leads around livestock. This is especially important from January through until after lambing when a stressful encounter can cause a sheep to miscarry and where an attack can cause trauma, infection and death. Dogs must also be kept on a lead anywhere on open access land during nesting bird season to protect our wildlife.