*sigh*
*sharp intake of breath*
this is the sounds that i made all the way from the East Coast to the West Coast of Scotland.
we left at 10am after a morning of packing a picnic and plotting the route
(and much kissing of cats and Binks - i am convinced that every time i leave the house i may not return - hence the emotional goodbye - i know, i know, it drives Stephen mad......)
we decided on the longer route which took us up and along the very North Coast and then down along the west Coast.
we stopped here to watch leaping salmon in the most amazing forest
the girls had an alfresco meal with the most beautiful backdrop
after yet more gasping at the view
the view
the view
the view
we stopped at this beach
it was a sunny day and yet no one was on this beach at all - bliss
in fact we saw very few cars
we had more problems over taking these!
the sheep that graze along these roads are so road savvy
they do not see a great amount of traffic at this time of the year as the tourists have gone home, but they just look you straight in the eye so you KNOW what a HUGE inconvenience you are - they then casually stroll out of the middle of the road ......
if you are lucky and they feel like it
as you can imagine this part of the journey took a while!
but with views like this - who cares
we arrived at the croft which has the largest flock of Boreray sheep on the mainland and spent time looking at all the sheep and being introduced to them by name!
Bob the owner was the sweetest man who makes no money from his flock at all - he in facts makes quite a loss each year - but he breeds this type of sheep because they need all the help they can get.
We followed him around his patch of land, followed by the bravest of his flock - Arabelle - meeting each and every sheep and absorbing all this wonderful chaps knowledge.
At home time we felt so privileged to have been given the opportunity to take part in the future of these amazing creatures...... to be honest it was all quite emotional and i had to hold it together so i did not come across as a complete wally!
but - we have agreed to purchase 6 ewes of various ages and a very handsome chap called Boris!
we decided to not take any pictures as we will not be able to choose who we will be having - the balance of the flock is so vital that Bob will choose who goes and who stays, but we will have a starter group of sheep that we can hopefully breed successfully.
how exciting xx
as you can imagine - the rest of this week will be spent chasing our tails - erecting fences and building shelters
all in readiness for our new family x
t x
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21 comments:
So exciting. I once stayed in a cottage that had sheep roaming in the garden - they were lovely, but noisy! Much better to have their own comfy enclosure :-)
What happens to organic sheep what are they dipped in?
Do they live out in the open all year round?
Will you get wool from them?
You are so lucky! What a view.
Mary D in Texas
That reminds me of the Cowal peninsula and of Mull - both places we've stayed in for many many happy weeks. The sheep there are lovely with fleeces as white as can be, and the cows in the middle of the road on a precipitous point on Mull almost gave us heart-attacks!
Enjoy your new family - you've not lived until you've been knocked off your feet by a hungry ewe :)
How very cool! In my daydreams I live on a farm with sheep who's wool I can spin....It's all daydreams because I live in Atlanta. Ha-ha to trying to keep sheep there!
the views of Scotland really are quite breathtaking...i haven't been there in over 16 years but i can still remember the feeling of "there is no one else for miles and miles" as we traveled around...
looking forward to accompanying you through your blog on your exciting new journey with Boris and the girls :)
You must be so excited.
Looks like such a beautiful place! Excited for you in your new venture. Glad you made it home safe & sound!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)
That view is so beautiful I almost forgot to admire the gorgeous doggies!
You lucky girl!
xoxo
So exciting to have your own sheep. Can't wait to see them all when they arrive. When I go to my parents I love to go see the sheep that graze in a field in the middle of the village. The footpath runs through the field but the sheep keep their distance. My 2 year old nephew wanted a closer look at them the other week but they all kept looking at him in that way that said 'not likely, you're not coming anywhere near us' and every time he took a step forward they all moved a few steps away before getting back to their grass munching. So funny!
Those photographs are stunning - well, the scenery is stunning, but the photographs are lovely too!
I look forward to reading about and seeing your sheep - will we all get to think up names? :-D x
That looks fantastic - you're so lucky, I love Scotland. My grandad was a Scot so it's in my blood!
What an amazing place. We almost went to the West Coast for our honeymoon but plumped for Shetland and a 14 hour ferry trip instead (bonkers!) Amazing, bleak, lots of fog but great. The sheep there are really teeny and I have to say the wooly-backs here in the Peak District have just the same road sense (or lack of) as yours - no fear! All the best for your flock, are you planning to train the dogs up to herd?!
Stephx
Stunning views, Tracy. Can you really believe you live there and it's not all just a dream? The sheep adventure is so exciting - so looking forward to meeting them!
Glad you had a good day and, presumably, got home safely.
Wow, stunning views, and how exciting about the sheep, I can't wait to see pictures! :)
What a fabulous journey, the scenery is absolutely stunning, I really must visit the Scottish highlands again, it's many,many years since I was last there. I'm looking forward to seeing your new additions when they arrive. I must look up Boreray sheep and find out something of their history.
Totally Love your Photos And Blogg
hugs from north of sweden
What gorgeous photos. Just stumbled across your blog and so glad I did. LOVE the name. :) Off to add you to my bloglines. :)
Oh how exciting! My mother grew up on a farm, and I think some of it still lingers in my own blood, as I think I could easily switch gears and turn my focus to farming (with lots of help from my family though)! =)
What a spectacular beach! Miles of sand and no-one on it ~ just beautiful.
How wonderful to meet a shepherd who is so interested in preserving a breed of sheep and knows them all by name...I have fond memories of driving around the Yorkshire Moors and waiting for the sheep to get out of the way.
Marie x
Oh, the views, the views, wonderful.
Can't wait to see pictures of the sheep when they arrive.
Racheal x
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