Ensay Fank and In bye tups

That tree. 

We have had the use of the fields at Ensay this year.  We have had hoggs and wedder lambs there.   Getting them into the fank up on the hill beside the farmhouse requires the attention of ideally 3 people. Farmer and DG gathered the field and brought them down the road, while I stood ready to block the road with sheep hurdles so that they go into the fank field rather than down the road towards the beach. 

The fank has a beautiful sea view. 

November skies 

JL's cows are on the hill now.  They are hanging around the deer fence looking over into the yard, mooing every time they hear the quad or the buggy. 

While I was away last week Farmer put the in by tups out.  This Herdwick tup is with the older ewes.   We bought him 2 years ago from a farmer near Stirling. 

He was delighted when we turned up with a feed bucket and had a taste before chasing off after another ewe. 

No 86 always enjoys a scratch. 

Off he goes..

This is Pedro.  He is a Suffolk.  He is with the older Cheviot ewes.  He has red raddle paint on his chest. 

You can see from these pink bums that he has been busy already. 

 

October moments

Brownie

View from the Sitheans into Calgary Bay 

Stormy October skies 

and then a wonderful October sunset 

Bringing in the Herdwicks

New Blackface tups 

Henhouse with Caliach Point and Rum in the distance 

Sunset over Rum 

Moving the cows

Walter and Nyje

Sunset over the Shepherd's Hut

Sunset over the sea with Cairns of Coll and Canna in the distance 

Our egg layers 

Caliach Point 

Ready for work 

A trip down to Fionnphort.  First stop - Eas Fors. 

Pennyghael house call. (he was looking in the window at a man looking out at him)

A windy walk at Ardalanish.  Golden and Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Oyster catchers and Whooper swans.  On the way down we saw a Hen harrier, on the way back we saw a White tailed eagle. 

Sorting out the Herdwick hoggs over at the Ensay Fank. 

Foot treatment 

And lovely afternoon light on Loch na Keal 

 

September - walks, sheep work

Hen house 

Late flowering Tormentil. 

Brambles 

Sorting the cast ewes for sale 

Herdwick stripes 

Late flowering Centuary 

Damp Calgary Beach

Fergus, our new Herdwick tup

He has got such a wonderful face.  We bought him in late August from James Rebanks in Cumbria. 

12 year old Brownie could be your neighbour when staying in the shepherds hut.

J's cows in the Black Park

The Rock doves hang around waiting for us to feed the hens.  We stand around until the hens have finished feeding to try and stop them from stealing all the hen food. 

East Middle and West

Starlings

Growing Chrysanthemums for the welcome packs

And Everlastings

Meadowsweet still flowering in the Black Park 

Heathers down by the Ensay bridge 

Heathers clinging on

View to Calgary from the Point 

Farmer and Nyje

Young Hazel.. self seeded 

Lovely to find Field gentian flowering on the Point

Love this view looking towards the Ross of Mull 

Walter 

From the Point with Coll in the distance 

Late flowering Bloody cranesbill 

Wood sage, dying 

Orange ghosts of Bog asphodel

And two very different walks on Calgary Beach