9.10am - Sunday 15th March 2026 817

Moved the shepherds mate to the end of the lonning it is working amazingly well so chuffed George suggested it here, always thought this was a useless bit of field we can’t crop, also known as a lonning, it is a bit of a large track running past the house we have fenced it off so we have access into the yard and it’s become increasingly useful for sheep work. Everyone up north I suspect knows what a lonning is. I once watched a dialect talk at Ormside WI where lonnings were mentioned as a lane before a lane, when many lonnings were changed to roads years ago they were often renamed, Some are barely tracks while others are wide enough for tractors, like ours. Brownrigg Lonning beside St Bees railway station doesn’t go anywhere, complete dead end, I only mention this as it’s my maiden name.

OUR lonnin was a path and eventually went down across an Old Ford to Kirkby Thore that’s since been washed away in the river Eden. Several bits of our lonnin remain others have been swallowed up by fields. The closest I can find to a name for our little lonning is Broadings lane so I’m going to take the inspiration and call it Broadings lonning. Historically correct? NOPE am I bothered? Also no #sheephandling #shepherdsmate #lonning #lakedistrict #farmlife #farming #cumbriandialect #sheep365 #farm #familyfarm