Neil Heseltine, who farms in Malham and is also Chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, shares his optimism for farming that enhances nature, and the future of commoning.

Adrian Shepherd, who leads the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s Land Management team, reflects on managing the land well into the future. When we meet, we stroll onto the flanks of Winder, on Brant Fell Common, overlooking Sedbergh.

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?

How does gamekeeping fit into the bigger picture of caring for land and nurturing a range of wildlife in the upland commons? We met with George Hares on Grassington Common in the Yorkshire Dales to find out more.

Peat is precious, for biodiversity, for storing huge amounts of carbon, and to mitigate against flooding. But it’s degraded across many areas of England. Manon Pue from Yorkshire Peat Partnership tells us more about peat on Grassington Moor, and putting together a restoration plan.

Not many people live so high in the Yorkshire fells, but, as Moira and Adam reveal, doing so is a real delight. Here they talk about their time at Crina Bottom, which sits below Ingleborough.

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.

An introduction to upland farmer Roger Sedgwick, a commoner using the Winder side of Brant Fell, Yorkshire Dales

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.

Will Dawson farms at Bleak Bank, on the flanks of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. Will works alongside his father, continuing a family tradition of grazing sheep on the common, and keeping a small herd of dairy cows. Find out more here …