The Book
Thanks for your support, we are now very close to completing the valley collection phase. We’re awaiting the return of information from only one remaining valley, which we expect shortly. This phase has taken a bit longer than anticipated due to several challenges, including postage issues, changes in tenancy, and the busy schedules of our invaluable valley collectors. We’re extremely grateful for the dedication of all collectors who have worked tirelessly to bring this critical part of the guide together.
We have been working with Stramongate press in Kendal to get the layout of the Guide right and keep its traditional format. Luckily one of the employees at Stramongate press worked on the 2005 Guide. That’s the beauty of using local firms with employees who stay for a long time and their knowledge does not have to be reinvented. The same can be said about fell farmers!
Data analysis
With the valley collection phase nearly complete, Jenifer is now able to focus on the data analysis, examining changes across the 1985, 2005, and 2025 editions of the Shepherds’ Guide. Jennifer has been conducting interviews and extensive desk-based research on changes to the fells over the past 40 years, and she’s eager to schedule more interviews in the coming months. She wants to capture your unique perspectives on the evolving landscape.
The website
The Lakeland Shepherds’ Guide is more than an historic record—it’s a valuable opportunity to share the importance of hill farming with the many visitors who come to our landscape each year. We’re working on the structure and the look of the website and will have prototype designs to share soon. Your input will be crucial so the website’s look and feel reflects fell farming and your experiences and needs.
The smit plaques
We’re also delighted to announce that several farmers have signed up for a custom ‘smit plaque’ for their farm gates. These plaques will feature a bespoke sand-blasted version of your farm’s unique smit mark, crafted by Honister Slate Mine, and a link to a personalized page on the Shepherds Guide website. This page is a fantastic way to share your farm’s story—whether promoting meat boxes, holiday cottages, or your family’s history in Lakeland. If you’d like your own plaque, please get in touch with Jennifer.
The walk guides explaining the basics of fell farming
We’re excited to let you know that we’re working with an illustrator on a series of routes and maps for the website with explanations along the route on how they were used by farmers in the past and how they are used today. We’d love your input on any local walks you believe best showcase the heritage and role of farming in our region.
Celebratory event to launch the 2025 Guide
Finally, we’re planning a celebratory event in early summer 2025 to officially launch the Guide and honour the role of fell farming in Lakeland. This will be a wonderful opportunity for all of you who have an entry in the Guide to gather and celebrate the heritage and future of hill farming together. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in this important project. We look forward to sharing more updates with you soon!
Sign up and win a £200 voucher
Take part in an interview, sign up for a smit mark, or suggest a local walk and be entered into a competition to win a £200 Carrs Billington Voucher. Ways to enter:
- Sign up for your own smit mark plaque
- Get in touch to have a bespoke plaque made by Honister Slate Mine for your farm gate featuring your flock smit mark and your own web page on the new Guide website
- This fully funded project aims to promote your farm and form a collection of ‘smit marks’ for visitors to collect when on holiday in the area, promoting hill farming and your own business to existing tourist trade.
- Sign up for an interview
- We are still running interviews with hill farmers through the coming weeks to provide evidence about your experience of changes to hill farming and what you want to see from future farmer support.
- Suggest items for your flock book
- Please share your views and ideas with us for this project
- We will be asking for your input on the content and formatting of various elements at the events above:
- the in-print Shepherd’s Guide
- the Shepherd’s Guide Website
- the Smit Mark plaques
- Shepherd’s walks
- contact Jennifer: jennifer@fellsfieldnotes.co.uk / 07794 640871 to get involved!