Step into the heart of the Lake District’s hill farming heritage. This site is home to the newly updated Lakeland Shepherds Guide, a celebration of fell farming, flock traditions, and the enduring connection between farmers and the commons. Whether you're a farmer, a visitor, a student, or just curious about the land and lives behind this World Heritage cultural landscape, we invite you to explore stories, history, activities, and maps that reveal the hidden work behind the Lake District’s iconic fells.
We’re developing a series of walk guides, each explaining how these routes were once used for farming in the Lake District and how they function today. These walks will be available for download on our website and as printed leaflets at popular campsites, hostels, pubs, and cafés near the trails.
Forty farms across the fells will host distinctive plaques showing their flock’s smit mark, corresponding to entries in the Shepherds’ Guide. Each stop on the trail will unlock stories of the farmers, the land, and the lives of sheep on the common.
A library of educational materials to help schools bring the story of the Lake District’s fell farms into the classroom. These resources will introduce students to traditional hill farming, common land, sheep hefting, and the role of farmers in shaping the landscape.
Now, after nearly two decades since the last printed edition in 2005, excitement is building as a new version of the Lakeland Shepherds Guide is set to be launched at the NSA North Sheep 2025 event on Wednesday, June 4th. This highly anticipated release marks a significant step in preserving this in…
Got a question, idea, or want to get involved? We’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re a farmer, researcher, or just curious about the Shepherds’ Guide, drop us a line. Collaborations and conversations are always welcome.
