Sheep rock is part of the view from my window and sings out in the sun. It is fully an island at lower tide, maybe 400 meters high. Just as steep as you can see it.
For centuries, and continuing until the 1970's, Fair Islanders grazed their sheep there during the summer and brought them back to the croft during the winter.
I am in awe at the hard work those folks were capable of and struck by how precarious their lives were that they needed to take advantage of that resource.
The men had to scale the rock face on a permanently fixed chain on the south (tall) side). Then they had to haul the sheep up the cliff face in order to leave them to graze. Then they had to repeat the process to take them down.
My mind keeps coming back to the frugal lives they led. The island was owned privately by landlords who lived elsewhere until the 1950's when the National Trust for Scotland bought it. Now the National Trust is the absentee landlord and apparently a good one. Commonly, crofters had 8 acres and a boat which was just enough to feed the family without a bad year.
Life was pretty hard and many Islanders moved away to Orkney or Scotland in the 1800's. A couple visiting here tonight is following their family tree back and discovered that their great grand parents left here for Orkney in about 1830. Family letters say that they were unable to survive with their boat and field, especially since they had to buy everything from the landlord's store at his inflated prices. The fishing industry in Orkney was thriving then so they moved.
The north half of the island has been common grazing land since prehistoric times and remains so today. The photos show the prehistoric dyke as well as a modern stone fence marking that boundary. It may be as much as 5000 years old.
The south half is crofts, or small farms. Some of the land is used for crops but most is used for grazing animals. I have only seen sheep but maybe they also have some dairy or beef cattle.
Hardy folk all around.
The current population of the Island is about 70. One of the issues is whether there are enough children to keep the school open. They have been advertising for people with school age children to move in. In case anyone knows anyone, it seems like a really nice life here now. They no longer have to haul the sheep up the cliff anyway and our ferry was filled with groceries and supplies from Lerwick. During times when more labor is needed, the National Trust sends volunteers and the fellows from the Bird Observatory pitch in. The guys were out helping with the hay-baling. Moving here seems like a good chance to take. They are not looking for retired folks, though--they have enough already.
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