Herdwick ewes inspect the camera before being rounded up and brought into line for judging at the 2023 Matterdale and St Johns Sheep Show.

For Will Dawson it’s another busy day: time to shear the flock of Dalesbred sheep. In this short film, Will shares the process of shearing the sheep and storing the film and then, with a sigh of relief, letting the sheep back onto Ingleborough Fell.

A short film shot by Will Dawson while gathering sheep off Ingleborough Common. Join Will as he works with other commoners, and their dogs, to bring the sheep down to the fell wall and into the yard.

Winter in the Yorkshire Dales, and commoner Will Dawson heads out to feed the sheep: join him in this short film made while he tends the flock.

Farmer Will Dawson takes us out into the fields to witness a day of making hay and silage: one of the annual tasks of a Yorkshire Dales commoner that’s a critical part of the farming year. Will it stay dry for long enough?

Commoner Richard Gray talks about his Galloway cows, which roam across vast expanses of the upland commons. He discusses their wellbeing, the benefits of extensive grazing for cows and for nature, and the high quality of the meat. One cow wears a collar which allows Richard to track the movements of the herd and monitor their wellbeing.

In this short film Richard Gray talks about farming and being a commoner in Dartmoor. He keeps cows and sheep, and wants to find the middle ground to keep the pressure off nature and maintain a viable farming business, a wish born from a strong sense of belonging and pride.

Lake District Commoner Craig Fearon joins two other commoners to gather their herdwick sheep down from the upland commons into Langstrath Valley. A short post with an opportunity to listen in to the calls of farmers echoing around the valley.

In a break from shearing his herdwick sheep on his farm in Grasmere, Will Benson shares his thoughts about farming in the Lake District and the heritage of the upland commons. A 6-minute watch.

A shepherd’s eye view while gathering sheep in from Kinniside Common in Cumbria’s Lake District. Join Lizzie Weir as she looks for and coaxes sheep away from the common and back to the home farm for sorting.

Listen to Sam Rawling describing the process of gathering sheep in from Kinniside Common, down to the River Calder, in July 2022. Commoners work together to bring in the sheep so they can be sheared. The recording is shared with a selection of images from the day, as the sheep are brought into the pens, and sorted.

There’s an art and a kind of a dance when it comes to shearing sheep. A short film captures the process at East Okement Farm in Dartmoor.

Sometimes a ewe needs some help to give birth to her lamb. This short film follows the process - please note that it contains close-up footage of the process.

A glimpse at the action during Keswick Spring Fair - a short video clip.

Will Dawson from Bleak Bank Farm in the Yorkshire Dales walks out in the early morning to check the lambing fields: watch the video here.

A video from Will Dawson at Bleak Bank Farm: up close and personal for the birth of not one, but two calves. PLEASE NOTE this film contains detailed imagery of a cow giving birth, with assistance.

Darren Penna from East Okement Farm shows the view from his upland farm in Dartmoor. This short video is taken as Darren looks out across the commons, and explains how the commons are used for grazing.

Farmer Will Dawson, whose family have commons rights on Ingleborough Common in the Yorkshire Dales, talks about the process of scanning sheep, which is an important step to take before lambing.