Commons Stories

Commons Stories is a collection of stories from four upland common regions across England: Dartmoor, the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District and the Shropshire Hills.

You’ll find written and photographic portraits of people, short videos, audio clips, and reflections on events through the year, as well as reflections on some of the challenges of building sustainable futures for people and landscape in these special places.

The collection is put together by somewhere nowhere duo, writer Harriet Fraser and photographer Rob Fraser, with contributions from commoners using GoPro cameras to capture snippets of their day-to-day lives on the farm and in the hills.

 
Lake District Harriet Rob Fraser Lake District Harriet Rob Fraser

Future Facing - With Peat at the Heart of Things

How might upland farmers become more involved in restoring peat and increasing sphagnum growth in the uplands? Harriet spoke to Simon Bland, from Dalefoot Farm, Bampton Common, to find out more about his vision, and Dalefoot’s work in producing peat-free compost, and restoring peatlands across the country.

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Lake District Harriet Rob Fraser Lake District Harriet Rob Fraser

Seeking a Roman Road

What evidence is there of a Roman road on Bampton Common - and why does learning more matter? We spent time with Archeologist Martin Railton to find out more about the 2022 dig on Cumbria’s mountain-top High Street.

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