It’s a shear delight as job is done
The clipping is now done, we reckon that all of our sheep have been shorn, the wool sheets are now packed full of the greasy wool and are awaiting collection.
The Swaledale’s wool is coarse and hard wearing, suitable for carpets and rugs – but unfortunately in recent years it has fallen out of favour.
Once upon a time the wool cheque would pay the rent on tenanted farms but nowadays it amounts to very little.
We all breathed a collective sigh of relief as the last few sheep went back to the moor. We don’t hurry them along too much as they need to find their lambs who, in some cases, don’t seem to recognise their mothers owing to them sporting a new, more streamlined look.
There’s a lot of jostling around and bleating but eventually all yows and lambs are reunited. Getting the sheep back to the moor gate was no small feat – due to the constant rain the ground is exceptionally boggy.
Kate and Bill the sheepdogs weave from side to side at the back of the sheep, driving them slowly onwards and upwards towards the open moor.
Cold, deep puddles cause the flock to hesitate, we chide them along, whistling and encouraging the dogs to bark and eventually they negotiate the perils.
The children collect treasure as we go along – feathers, sticks and stones. There are many distractions and invariably some of the children head off on their own adventures.