Video : Being a commoner in the Lake District

Commoner Will Benson and his son Jack farm at Town Head Farm, Grasmere, in the central Lake District. In this film they discuss their lives as hill farmers: the joys and challenges of looking after herdwick sheep on the commons, and caring for the home farm. The two have spent the afternoon shearing some of their Herdwick sheep, which have been gathered in from the fells and will be returned to Grasmere Common until the autumn.

This film was one of three films presented at the opening ceremony of the 9th International Outdoor Education Research Conference at the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus in July 2022: the trio of films shared some Cumbrian perspectives with visitors from around the world.