Hill Farming in the North of England

Hill farming is a way of life, and although the hill farmer in the North of England in the 21st century has changed with the times, the traditions remain strong and the dramatic upland landscape is eternal. In Hill Farming in the North of England, photographer John Bentley has had access to the world of the hill farmer in the North of England. Hill farming is round-the-clock work, season to season, still predominantly done on family farm. In this book he shows farmers at work through the seasons of the year, which dictate the hill farming calendar. From providing feed for the livestock – mostly sheep but also cattle - and shearing to haymaking, from lambing in the spring to ‘tupping’ time in the autumn, going to sales, shows and sheepdog trials, with the backdrop of the dramatic landscape in the changing seasons. It is a visual portrait of a remarkable way of life and a part of our farming heritage.

Look through these photographs and you will quickly see the unique challenges of hill farming in the stunning but often harsh landscape of the North of England.