The Quiet Utility of Baler Twine
Out on a walk near Reeth this afternoon, I found myself stopping again and again to admire one of the most unassuming, yet essential, elements of Dales life: the orange baler twine.
It’s not the sort of thing that grabs attention at first glance. You won’t find it in guidebooks or scenic calendars, and yet it’s everywhere once you start to notice — knotted around broken gateposts, looped through fencing, twisted onto hinges and latches. A bright, synthetic flash against the weathered grain of wood and stone.
Baler twine is the farmer’s fix-all. Originally intended for tying hay bales, its uses stretch far beyond its original purpose. Out here, where time, weather, and terrain are unforgiving, having something strong, cheap, and always to hand can make all the difference. Whether it’s keeping a gate closed, a post upright, or a latch functioning — twine is there. It’s like rural duct tape, only more photogenic in its own way.
There’s a kind of quiet poetry in the way it’s used — always practical, often ingenious, sometimes almost sculptural in the way it’s wrapped or knotted. Some lengths have been in place so long they’re frayed and sun-bleached, others freshly tied, glowing with the factory-orange of new use.
For me as a photographer, these small details are just as much a part of the landscape as the rolling hills or dry stone walls. They tell stories — not just of necessity, but of care, problem-solving, and a deep-rooted connection to the land. In a world that’s often over-designed and over-polished, there’s something refreshing about a bit of twine doing exactly what’s needed, nothing more, nothing less.
So here’s to baler twine — the unsung hero of the countryside. It may not be pretty, but it’s part of the fabric of life out here. And for those of us who look a little closer, it’s surprisingly beautiful.
Photographed near Reeth, June 2025
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