As the use of Participatory Mapping becomes increasingly prevalent in decision making, it is vital to consider how analysis is conducted as well as data collection, in order to maximise the utility of the data that we collect from participants. This research explores the value in the free-text data that is commonly collected alongside participatory spatial data, but often overlooked or under-utilised. Here we use a case study in the Lake District National Park, UK to demonstrate how computational methods from literary research can provide a deeper understanding of participant’s spatial thoughts and feelings.