The launch of a new book and exhibition next month will celebrate the deep history of the Lake District fells and the place they hold in millions of peoples’ lives, while also asking important questions about the future of the uplands. ‘Forty Fells’ is a collaboration between award-winning photographer Tom McNally and author David Felton, and presents the varied stories of 40 Cumbrian fells and the people who live, work and play on them. The book will be launched alongside a free exhibition in the Art Gallery at Rheged, near Penrith, on Thursday 22 October, displaying striking large format photography, rarely-seen artefacts and films.
Published by Inspired by Lakeland, ‘Forty Fells’ is a follow-up to the award-winning ‘Forty Farms’ and sees Tom McNally and author David Felton embark on a visual and narrative visit to 40 fells, from Scafell Pike to Pillar, Cat Bells to Blencathra, and Helvellyn to Haystacks.
Since prehistory, people have lived, worked and played in the Lake District uplands, finding in them inspiration, adventure, sport, wealth and freedom. In the book, McNally and Felton tell the stories of farmers, fell-runners and foresters; Wainwright-baggers, conservationists and carol singers, with documentary profiles taking in all corners of the county.
Over 40 illustrated chapters, ‘Forty Fell’s 344 pages celebrate the myriad ways people engage with the Cumbrian uplands, while also highlighting the tensions that exist between the sometimes conflicting demands of tourism, access, conservation, farming and forestry. ‘Forty Fells’ addresses the important role the Lake District plays in connecting young people with nature, highlights the increasingly critical work of Fix the Fells, discusses the history and lived experience of race in the Cumbrian countryside, and shines a spotlight on the vital service provided by Mountain Rescue teams.
The Forty Fells exhibition at Rheged will run from 23 October until 24 January, 2027. The 100 metres of Art Gallery walls will showcase large format photographs celebrating the beauty, drama and ever-changing character of the Lake District, supported by films and artefacts, including Wainwright’s original longlist of ‘the 214’, early records from the Bob Graham Round, and the game-changing, life-saving ‘Thomas’ Mountain Rescue stretcher. The complementary programme of expert talks, debates and creative workshops will explore some of the key themes of ‘Forty Fells’
David Felton comments: “I summited my first Lake District fell at the age of six months, carried up Cat Bells by my parents, and nearly four decades later I celebrated my 40th by completing my first round of the 214 Wainwrights. The Cumbrian mountains have been a constant in my life, through good times and bad, and ‘Forty Fells’ is both a tribute to the high places of Lakeland and an expression of thanks for all they have given me.
“But it is more than that. It is a deep dive into the remarkable history of a richly-storied landscape. It’s a celebration of the many ways people connect with mountains. And it’s a state-of-the-nation photographic record of the Cumbrian uplands at a time of unparalleled change. We have not shied away from the challenges facing the north-country uplands, nor have we let them overshadow the many initiatives that are, often quietly, revitalising the fells. In an era not blessed with good news, ‘Forty Fells’ tells positive stories aplenty about this landscape, which is a spiritual home for millions.”
Tom McNally comments: “I was introduced to photography by my dad and then two decades later I was introduced to the Lake District as a scruffy young climber, travelling west from Newcastle with friends. Our accommodation was often just a bivvy bag in a Borrowdale cave, and our only priorities were to have as much fun and tick off as many classic rock climbs as possible.
“These events shaped my life, leading to a career in adventure photography and work in outdoor education and film and TV. Shot primarily over two years, the images in ‘Forty Fells’ represent the culmination of my experience in each of these fields. Since moving to the Lakes in 2011, I’ve wanted to work on a project that digs deep into this treasured landscape and asks what it means to people. ‘Forty Fells’ is not only a contemporary profile of a unique place and its people, but also a personal homage to Cumbria, the place that my family and I are proud to call home.”
The book ‘Forty Fells’ is available to pre-order now at Forty Fells - Conversations about change in the Lake District mountain – Inspired by Lakeland, or from a range of Lakeland book and giftshops including the Art Gallery at Rheged and Westmorland Farm Shop at Tebay Services.
Forty Fells Exhibition (free) will open at the Rheged Centre near Penrith, Cumbria, on Friday 23 October and run until Saturday 24 January 2027, open from 9:30am-5:00pm. Find out more at Upcoming Exhibitions - Rheged.
