Herdwick Sheep Breeder's Association warns their ancient farming system is reaching "crisis point" if numbers of sheep and flocks keeps falling.

In 1916 there were 359 herdwick flocks in Cumbria but in 100 years its fallen to 157 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ancient-herdwick-flocks-staring-at-bleak-future-jdtkwpn5w

A census by the HSBA, shown to The Times, reveals that of the lost herdwick farms, 115 (32 per cent) have become holiday lets or private homes with no livestock, while the other 87 are farms that no longer breed herdwicks.

Of the remaining 157 herdwick flocks, the census shows there are only 96 flocks with more than 50 breeding ewes and of those 33 show a decline in numbers.

HSBA said main causes of reductions were gov environmental policies and the destocking of the sheep from the fells. They said that in some new farm tenancies, up to 50 per cent of the land available for farming had been removed by the landowner to make way for rewilding schemes.

Natural England, which provides advice on government schemes, says its advice on flock sizes is based on extensive monitoring data and many years of experience. It argues a “significant portion” of the fells are in unfavourable condition due to inappropriate levels of grazing.