Have you ever wondered how farming works? Have you heard bad things about sheep and overgrazing? How tough is hill farming? How well do you know the Carneddau? Can farms be more nature friendly? Do you have any idea about the way our hills are managed? Who owns them? How do farmers support local communities? What happened to British wool? Why is lamb so expensive? Can cattle be grazed on the hills? Should gorse be burnt off? What is ‘common’ land?

As mountain leaders and mountaineering instructors, we can be perceived as taking the uplands for granted. Yes, we do have good access, but we have responsibilities too. I believe it behoves us to find out to a little bit more about that other group of people with a vested interest in the uplands; those who farm them. Who are the farmers who scrape a living from the land? Who…