The Farming Year

To understand the way Herdwick sheep are farmed in the Lake District today, it’s best to look at its historical roots. From the first settlers to the present day, anyone seeking to farm the Lake District has to find solutions to some daunting practical challenges; particularly the tough climate, the large areas of unfenced common grazing land on the fells, and the small areas of cultivatable or better quality pasture land in the valley bottoms. Herdwick sheep and the way that they are farmed is the result of thousands of years of cultural development to address these challenges. If you thought Herdwicks were just “pretty sheep” think again.