Of Whinchats and Wheatears
Jonathan >
A few days ago I started shearing the older ewes. The process of starting to grow a new fleece (and shedding of the old) starts later for ewes with lambs: protein got from grazing goes to providing lambs with milk, not making wool. But now – six to eight weeks after the boys and the younger girls – it is at last the turn of the matriarchs.
At this time of year, with the ewes and lambs out on the common grazings, I feed them with sheepnuts – just a small ration – to encourage them to come to me each morning, allowing me to count them, look out for any problems, and – if the weather’s dry …
… to catch one!
With the ewes huddled together, heads down, I let them get on with their sheepnuts whilst I decide which ewe to catch, and stand poised ready for the moment she’s finished feeding and is about to set off into the wilds with the others.
I’ve had enough with rounding them up and shearing the lot. It’s too exhausting for me, too stressful for me as well as the sheep, and inevitably results in cuts and other minor hurts, and the fleeces end up just a pile of bits.
I trialled the new technique on the hogs – last year’s lambs, whilst they and their mums and the new lambs were still down on our own croft fields. That trial went so well, I realized I didn’t need to have the sheep confined at all: I could do exactly the same thing out on the common grazing.
For the hogs – last year’s lambs, it was their first ever shearing (which means they can now be referred to as shearlings): I expected them to put up a bit of a struggle ; and that’s what I got. Though, that said, they were much easier to handle than in previous years, when after being driven into a fank with the help of a neighbour and his sheep dogs, the hogs were wild-eyed and reckless.
For the ewes, however, this year will be their eighth shearing: they know exactly what it’s about, what to expect – and by now their heavy old fleeces are a burden – especially in hot summer sunshine. All those I’ve sheared so far have been calm and quiet, there have been no cuts or knicks to me or them, and the fleece has come of clean and whole, with no secondary cuts. For the first time in eight years of shearing, I feel unqualified pleasure and satisfaction in my own work.
Yesterday, the weather was gloriously sunny and warm: in fact, too bright and burning for my red-head complexion! I’d taken my Canon DSLR camera with me up the hill : so, with the shearing done, I sat in the warm morning sunshine, looking across our croft, Carrick and the Sound of Eriskay – across to the glens and hills of South Uist. And this is what I saw. A work place with a view.
But how do you fancy coming with me on a stormy day, with a sheep missing? No?
But yesterday was exceptional : so rather than head back down to the croft with the fleece and all the gear, I left it there to come back to later, and headed off into the wilds of Eriskay to see the sights. Despite being ‘on our doorstep’, I very rarely get out just for the pleasure of a walk – free of any work-related purpose, so a spontaneous walk like this (still in boiler suit and wellington boots!) is a delight to treasure and remember.
But, why don’t you come with me, and see for yourself? The walk runs anti-clockwise from the hill gate ◊ We’ll be walking for about three miles over rough terrain, and it’ll take an hour and half. Don’t worry – we’ll be back in time for lunch!
Here’s an interactive map, with embedded photos. It’s easier to use in the full-screen mode – click on the control at top right of the box. This interactive map not be visible at all on the WordPress Reader.
Did you enjoy that?
Having spent ages creating the interactive map, I’m disappointed that the photos are so small and inconvenient to access – there’s no pop-up. Here’s a mosaic of all the images. Click any image for a slide show of them all.
Beautiful!
So enjoyed going on that walk with you. You live in a place of beauty. And, as we would say in Maine, Queenie is some sheep.
That’s very cool technology! I’ve seen this sort of map when looking for walks when we travel but I’ve never had a guided tour like the one you gave–makes it better!
J > I’m planning to develop these further so that walks like this can be followed using any smartphone with GPS (ie most) Glad you like this!
That’s beautiful
Thank you for sharing your photos and daily life in you exceptional landscape. I love a good looking for a missing sheep. We already miss being in Scotland. To visit the Hebrides was something new and a highlight for us. I couldn’t*t believe my eyes when we left Tarbert to go to Scalpay, how barren and almost arctic it is. On Harris we met a couple with multiple preordered tickets for the all the isles, that something we*d like to do one day.
Have a lovely weekend.
Warm greetings from Norway,
The Fab Four of Cley. x
J > Gaelic has a lot of norse-viking vocabulary, as it was under the Norse crown until 13thC, if I recall correctly. The old harbour in Eriskay is called Haun – immediately recognisable to Scandinavians. Dal for valley. etc etc. Looking for missing sheep has a special purpose, and is something I love to do, though I wish I didn’t need to, especially when (very rarely) the finding is not a matter for rejoicing (it mostly is, in fact mostly the missing sheep simply reappears).
Staying on Harris we visited a deserted Norwegian whaling station. A local looking for a missing sheep told us where to enter the site. 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_%28place%29
Thanks a lot!! 🙂
Wow – what a walk! But poignant in all that beauty with the deserted buildings…
J > Not very far, not particularly hilly, but rough terrain, and no paths. It’s like being the first person to explore. After the sheep, that is! Glad you enjoyed this, Katherine!
What a wonderful walk!
J > So pleased you enjoyed that. I might do more of these – now I’ve worked out to do them. That said, I need to time to explore!
Yes I really enjoyed the walk – from my chair.
J > That’s some chair you’ve got! Mind you if a sheep can get about on four legs, I can’t see how a chair could be any less advantaged. ;~)
OH! Thank you so much for my little walkabout in that wild and wonderful land you live upon. (Your wool looks wonderful, by the way) ah…that sun…that water..bliss!
J > Hah hah! You haven’t put even a toe in the water! Looks Mediterranean, feels Arctic! But the sunshine: very very clean air, no aerosols, so light very intense and burning. Factor 60 not enough – Factor Hebrides required!
I thought it might be cold, but oh my, that color! It sweeps me away with it’s beauty!