I have to pinch myself. What an amazing place to work
Yvonne McKenzie rounds up Siân Tarrant to chat about safeguarding one of the world’s rarest breeds of sheep.
AS far as unusual jobs go, Siân Tarrant’s has to be right up there – among the tasks in her job description are tending a very special kind of sheep, as well as being a dab hand at repairing drystane dykes!
The said dyke ensures the seaweed-eating sheep of North Ronaldsay stay close to shore and prevents them roaming where they shouldn’t.
As you can imagine, the weather in Orkney’s northernmost island takes akes its toll on the wall’s defences.
You must be hardy to face the continual battle against the elements to stay on top of things.
What attracted twentyeight-year-old Siân to the post?
“I first saw the job posting for Sheep Dyke Warden on a website. I had been looking for paid work in conservation or countryside management for a couple of months.
“I had an interview and was lucky enough to get the job and started the post in November.
“Prior to that, I lived in North Devon as a full-time volunteer ranger with the National Trust while my partner was working in the Pyrenees.
“Now we stay in the Schoolhouse on North Ronaldsay, which is probably the biggest and nicest house I have ever lived in!
“Despite the distance from Devon, it wasn’t a difficult decision to take the job as I have loved island life ever since spending six weeks on North Rona in 2013.
“It may be a very unusual job, but it fits my skill set and tick list perfectly – living on a remote island, working outside, working with volunteers.
“I studied marine biology at university – the seaweedeating sheep are pretty close to a marine mammal!” Siân laughs.
“That and previous experience of a couple of days’ stone-walling were the only qualifications I needed to get the job.”
What does Siân’s typical day involve?
“Checking the sheep dyke for new gaps – all thirteen miles of it.
“I try to get round the whole thing once a fortnight, doing small repairs along the way.
“If I find larger sections which have fallen down, I make them sheep-tight with wire fencing and pallets and come back to repair it another day.
“Some parts of the dyke are well over six feet, and fallen stones get covered in sand, requiring a lot of digging, so it’s a very manual task which can seem quite daunting at times.
“It does feel good to complete a section at a time as you can see the progress, rather than looking at the
“A part of my role as Sheep Dyke Warden is to co-ordinate volunteer tourism to repair the dyke,” Siân says. “I have some groups booked in throughout the year, but I’m always looking for more helping hands.
“You can experience life on the beautiful and rugged island, with plenty of free time for your own adventures, and learn the island’s unique drystone walling technique.
“It’s not all work, however; there’s the opportunity to visit the wool mill, or go up the lighthouse with breathtaking views of the island – south over the Orkney archipelago, north to Fair Isle, Foula and mainland Shetland. seaweed – the other is a marine iguana in the Galapagos.
“Consequently, they are at their fattest in the winter, when the storms dredge up huge amounts of seaweed on to the shore.
“Rather than a normal diurnal rhythm like other sheep breeds, feeding in the day and sleeping at night, North Ronaldsay sheep feed twice a day at low tide, when the seaweed is exposed.
“Recent research has shown that livestock that have seaweed in their diet produce less methane.
“And since methane is a
“In the future I also hope to include woodfired pizza evenings, natural wool dying and kelp basket weaving.”
Once travel restrictions are lifted, you can book a working holiday with Siân at her website www. woollygreenjumper.com.
There’s also the North Ronaldsay Sheep
Festival, a celebration of culture and conservation on the island.
Volunteers from all over the world are welcomed to take part in dyke building, and rewarded by evening events such as tours of the island wool mill, felting workshops, island dances, live music, guided walks and art exhibitions.
Find out more at www. nrsheepfestival.com. greenhouse gas, the solely seaweed-eating North Ronaldsay sheep could provide an answer to greener farming and slowing climate change.”
And the highlight of the job?
“When the skies are blue, the wind has dropped, seals are out, fulmars are swooping past, and I’m out on the beach repairing the wall, I have to pinch myself.
“What an amazing place to work and what an amazing job to have – protecting this rare breed of seaweed-eating sheep and preserving a unique drystone dyke!”