Can you imagine that: me, a 63 year old, helping to form a “human barrier” to herd sheep!
Last spring 27 Soay sheep had been introduced to the steep mound of Corfe Castle, the ruin on the steep mound where we have done nature conservation work before. (BTW some background info: these sheep were specifically chosen for their nimbleness on the slopes of the ruins and have the added benefit of eating and trampling bramble and ivy which could damage the ancient masonry if allowed to thrive.).
Well today they had to be herded off the mound and into a pen to be transported to another area for breeding.
Around 30 of us walked in a line across the steep mound to corner the sheep.... well, they weren’t having that! They found a space through which they could escape. The shepherdess, or grazier as she is called, went after them and together with her dog and one other shepherd she managed to get them back in the right direction. We then slowly walked forward and held up a netting fence to close them in. After one and a half hours they were in the small holding pen. It was fun to be part of the whole thing. The clambering on the wet slippery slope made it into quite a difficult activity. After we finished we decided to go for a hike up the hill opposite the castle to have lunch in a really wonderful spot! Luckily the rain held off for most of the morning....
Sheep herding ✅
Photo shows top left: the sheep eying us suspiciously; top right: the last bit before they got into the smallest pen, bottom left my lunch spot; bottom middle: the steep descent; bottom right: the castle “in the sky” after we had come down from our walk.
Sheep herding ✅ .... Eh .... what?!?!
Today was.... “help with herding sheep” day!
Can you imagine that: me, a 63 year old, helping to form a “human barrier” to herd sheep!
Last spring 27 Soay sheep had been introduced to the steep mound of Corfe Castle, the ruin on the steep mound where we have done nature conservation work before. (BTW some background info: these sheep were specifically chosen for their nimbleness on the slopes of the ruins and have the added benefit of eating and trampling bramble and ivy which could damage the ancient masonry if allowed to thrive.).
Well today they had to be herded off the mound and into a pen to be transported to another area for breeding.
Around 30 of us walked in a line across the steep mound to corner the sheep.... well, they weren’t having that! They found a space through which they could escape. The shepherdess, or grazier as she is called, went after them and together with her dog and one other shepherd she managed to get them back in the right direction. We then slowly walked forward and held up a netting fence to close them in. After one and a half hours they were in the small holding pen. It was fun to be part of the whole thing. The clambering on the wet slippery slope made it into quite a difficult activity. After we finished we decided to go for a hike up the hill opposite the castle to have lunch in a really wonderful spot! Luckily the rain held off for most of the morning....
Sheep herding ✅
Photo shows top left: the sheep eying us suspiciously; top right: the last bit before they got into the smallest pen, bottom left my lunch spot; bottom middle: the steep descent; bottom right: the castle “in the sky” after we had come down from our walk.