Bringing alive the history of the Cumbria’s iconic high fell landscape through the memories and perspectives of local people

The high fells landscape are the picture on the postcard: a defining image of Cumbria, from plummeting scree and forbidding peaks to the patchwork of dry stone walls and grasslands in the valleys below. It is a dynamic, evolving landscape that has been shaped by man for thousands of years, but the character of the fells has changed greatly since World War Two, with developments in tourism, farming practices and other land use.

“Throughout the Second World War the land continued to be farmed traditionally, worked with horses, and stocked with fell sheep and small herds of cattle. By the ‘50s, tractors were replacing horses...” (Dr Helga Frankland)

Recording memories of landscape change

The landscape is a living record of our interaction with the land and wildlife; it contains many stories about how this relationship has changed.

The High Fell oral history project is collecting the memories of those who remember the landscape, wildlife and people’s way of life before and after the changes. They could be memories of past farming methods, changes in land use or in tourism; memories of wildlife that perhaps has increased in number or is no longer so common; or how moorland, wildflowers or woodlands have changed.

“Early in the mornings we used to climb the fells behind the house. One time we went up to see Red Grouse lekking and were rewarded by the sight and sound of these moorland birds.” (Stephanie Tyler)

Local people’s memories of everyday events are just as important as historical documents and books in telling us about how the landscape and it’s wildlife has changed through the decades.

The oral history project aims to record, interpret and archive those memories, to bring alive the history of the iconic high fell landscape for current and future generations. It will let the memories speak for themselves.

“I remember of the 1940s that all the fells went purple with heather and bracken seemed confined to the lower slopes” (C. Kelsall)

Everyone has a unique story and experiences to share

With the help of local volunteers, the project aims to record and archive the memories of people from all walks of life – from hill farmers, landowners, game keepers and graziers to former rangers, foresters, dry stone wallers, naturalists, fell walkers, runners, local artists or simply people who have lived in the area for the last 60 years or more.

“Tawny owls were very common. And lapwings, curlews, snipe, golden plover, all those kind of birds were common.” (Dr Helga Frankland)

What will happen with the recorded interviews?

The recordings will be used to create audio podcasts that will complement a series of walks, to link memories of the past directly to the landscapes we see today. The podcasts and map of walks will also be available to download on an interactive website alongside excerpts from other recorded interviews, historical photos, maps and records reflecting the landscape changes. The website will be an ongoing, organic document where the public will be able to upload their photos and memories on the landscapes as well.  A county-wide exhibition exploring the issues of landscape change through the project findings is planned for spring 2012; all the recordings will finally be archived with the Cumbria Records Centre.

Find out more

Would you like to participate, or know someone with a good story to tell? Or would you like to volunteer on the project? Contact the High Fell Project Officer, Sarah Johnson, on: 01539 816 305 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.