The Hebridean Sheep Society The Hebridean Sheep Society exists to promote Hebridean sheep as an economical breed with qualities of importance to today's livestock industry (particularly extensive sheep farming) and many types of ecological management task to promote biodiversity. The Society is the registration authority for the breed within the UK and is affiliated to the National Sheep Association. Membership is open to all who support the aims of the Society. Membership information can be sought from the membership secretary : membership@hebrideansheep.org.uk or telephone +44 (0)1908 611092.

Members Websites:

• Welcome to Wester Gladstone, home of Scotland's primitive four-horned Hebridean Sheep Website

  This is the website of Gordon and Juliet Johnston. Here at Wester Gladstone, we specialise in breeding Hebridean Sheep with the very rare original characteristics of the breed. We do not breed show sheep, but if you want to see multi horned, scurred, polled and topknotted Hebrideans, this is the place to come. Check it out now!

• Welcome to the Fowlescombe Farm Website

  This is the website of Richard and Barbara Barker at Fowlescombe Farm, Devon enter here for the main website. But if you want to go straight to the Rare Breeds section try entering at See the Rare Breeds at Fowlescombe Farm. Alternatively if you want to go straight to the Hebridean related pages try See the Hebridean at Fowlescombe Farm. Check it out now particularly the Hebridean 2008 Hebridean Symposium and see what fantastic activities we got up to!

• Welcome to the Hebsnbadgers Website

  This is the website of the ‘Anelog’ flock of Torwen and Hebridean Sheep....check it out now!

• Welcome to Heathland Hebridean Website

  This is the website of Heathland Hebridean which is a conservation grazing project embracing three flocks of Hebridean sheep found in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and at Chailey Common in the Low Weald of Sussex. Check it out now!

• Welcome to the Brightside Hebridean Sheep Website

  This is the website of Chas and Kath Heeley (Brightside Flock) and is full of photographs of Hebridean sheep in all sorts of settings, shows, cross breeds, in natural environments etc together with some of Chas and Kath’s own favourites the ponies. Check it out now!

• Welcome to the Merchant Flock Website

  This is the website of David & Madeleine Short (Merchant Flock) and is full of photographs of Hebridean and Manx Loaghtan sheep in all sorts of settings, shows, cross breeds, in natural environments etc. Check it out now!

Animal Heath, movements and other sheep related Websites:



• For the latest information in relation to Animal Health etc click The DEFRA Website

  This is the website of DEFRA and contains all the information you need for animal health and movement controls etc

• Certificates of Competence for Transporting Livestock

  From 5 January 2008 applicants transporting horses, livestock or poultry by road (only) over 65km must hold valid certificates of competence for drivers and attendants of road vehicles. CLICK HERE for details of getting your certificate

  For the details of how to obtain the Certificate of Competence for Transporting Livestock click The nptc website

  for further guidance and download a pdf document click The DEFRA Website

• Breeds at Risk Register – Protect your stock NOW!

  Keepers who have previously registered on the Breeds At Risk Register should ensure that the numbers of stock originally registered matches those that are currently in your flock. The register needs to be updated regularly - don't assume that it's a one-off registration and that's it! Rare breeds are to secure some derogations BUT only if on the Register. Application is very simple. Click the following link to register for free - stock keepers should do this as a matter of urgency.

  For Breeds at Risk Registration Form click The Grassroots Website

Other Interesting and Useful Websites:

• Welcome to the Hebridean Woolhouse Website

  This is the website of the Hebridean Woolhouse. Fifteen years ago Hebridean sheep were a rare breed but now that the quality of the wool from their fleeces and the quality of their meat is once more being appreciated their numbers are increasing. We get the natural undyed fleeces of the Hebridean sheep made into wool and then knitted or woven into our range of country clothing. These include woollen jumpers, woollen sweaters, cardigans and pullovers suited to a wide range of activities. Our golfing sweaters and cardigans and shooting jumpers are particularly popular with good shower resistance due to the natural oils in the wool and hard wearing matching leather patches on elbows and shoulders of the sportsman sweater. Weaving is used to make scarves, picnic rugs and throws and our versatile serapes for winter and summer wear. Almost all of which is made in the Scottish borders town of Hawick, a town famous for its manufacture of Scottish woollens. The business began on North Uist but is now based on our farm in Glenshee, Perthshire and a small office south of London. Check it out now!

• Welcome to the Crofting Supplies Ltd Website

  This is the website of Crofting Supplies Ltd. Established in 2009, Crofting Supplies aims to provide a one stop shop for all your farming, crofting and smallholding needs. The business was developed when we first moved to our croft in Caithness and had difficulty accessing services such as agricultural contracting, fencers, feed supplies, eco friendly livestock equipment etc. We therefore came up with the idea of creating Crofting Supplies to cover all these needs under one roof.. Check it out now!

• Welcome to the Thistle and Broom Website

  This is the website of Thistle and Broom where you will find extraordinary products all made exclusively within Scotland’s borders. Each item has been chosen to bring you, or your loved ones as special gifts, years of pleasure. They are beautiful, functional, timeless, (mostly) handcrafted treasures, often unique to the cultural heritage of Scotland, always of exceptional quality and many of which will be made especially for you - patience has its own rewards. 90% of our offerings are priced on the Fair Trade model so that 2/3rds of the retail price goes directly to the artisan. Check it out now!

• Welcome to The Laverstoke Butchers Shop Website

  Laverstoke Park has just been awarded Gold in the category for Best Organic Product for its Rack of Lamb in the Taste of Britain 2005 Awards. When the Daily Telegraph and Sainsbury's launched their Taste of Britain Awards last September we knew we had to enter, deciding which product to put forward was the hard part, but Mr Scheckter did get some expert advice. "Raymond Blanc's chefs said ours is the best lamb they've ever tasted," so lamb it was, from a small breed called Hebridean which grows at half the speed of a conventional sheep and produces dark, succulent and tender meat. "Slow growing animals and plants are healthy and they tend to taste better," says Mr Scheckter. Unlike ordinary lamb, Hebridean lamb can also be hung to enrich the flavour. "We're really proud to win a Taste of Britain 2005 award," he says. "We've been trying to make this project work for 10 years and the award is the biggest thing that's happened to us." Visit our on-line shop for more information on our Hebridean Lamb.

• Welcome to the BBC Nottingham website and learn all about Herding 'flying sheep' and hear and see Agnes in action

  Agnes is a 'flying shepherd'. She looks after the largest flock of Hebridean sheep in Europe... and she has named them all.

  Agnes has been a shepherd for 12 years, four and a half in Bestwood. The Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust employee is originally from Holland and learnt about her current job on the internet while browsing for shepherding jobs. She's in charge of the largest flock of Hebridean sheep in Europe. "We've got between five and six hundred sheep and 25 cows."

  Flying shepherd Nicknamed the 'flying shepherd', her job entails moving sheep from field to field as they mow the lawns of Nottinghamshire's countryside. "We're grazing in about 25 different reserves in the whole county. I drive around checking on the animals, moving them from one reserve to another."

  Christmas connection Nowadays she's closest the county gets to the three shepherds in the Bible's Christmas story although their sheep wouldn't have been penned in. "They were more adventurous. They would stay with their sheep at night because they didn't have a place to go back to. They used to do it more in groups and they had dogs to protect them."

  Sheep are clever Agnes chose to work with sheep because she says they're relaxed and laid back animals. "They are very clever. Very sociable as well. If a dog finds something nice to eat it'll scoff it before its mates arrive. If a sheep finds something to eat it'll bleat to let the rest of the group know."

  Animal mowers Hebridean sheep were first introduced to Bestwood Country Park, Nottinghamshire, in 2003 as part of a conservation scheme. They graze the park keeping down the length of grass to allow more wild flowers to flourish. The unusually coloured Hebridean sheep are classified as a "minority breed" as there are only a few thousand in the country.

• Welcome to the new Grazing Animals Project (GAP) website. Here you will find a wide range of information on conservation grazing in the UK and the work of GAP

  GAP was developed in 1997 to aid the development of conservation grazing, defined as “grazing that meets nature conservation objectives”. GAP is a UK-wide partnership network of practitioners and advisers from the nature conservation, agricultural and livestock sectors. GAP runs a wide range of services including an enquiries service, a quarterly newsletter, information leaflets, various publications and advisory handbooks, an online discussion forum "Nibblers", training courses, regular workshops and field events and a biennial conference. GAP has also developed the Local Grazing Schemes concept, and supporting Local Grazing schemes is the backbone of our work on the ground. GAP does not itself own or manage any livestock or sites. The GAP network is made up of nearly 1500 members plus 30 partner organisations and is open to anyone with an interest in conservation grazing. Our membership includes conservationists, farmers, policy makers, ecologists, academics and students. GAP believes that by working in partnership we can move towards environmentally, economically and socially sustainable grazing systems that will help to rejuvenate both the countryside and rural communities.

• Welcome to the Eco-Lots website. (Gwybodaeth I Ddefnyddwyr Cymraeg)

  Eco-Lots is a free service designed to help the rural economy by assisting with the environmentally sensitive and sustainable management of land, trees and wildlife in the UK. It seeks to do this by providing free online advertising for sales, wants and events covering a wide range of rural products and services. There are no subscription, commission or advertising fees. Ecolots is an initiative of FACT; please click on the link to find out more about the FACT group and go to our links page for details of the supporting organisations. Eco-Lots is the result of merging two previous initiatives - WoodLots and Eco-Ads. By bringing them together we are able to offer a wider and more reactive service without the need for subscription or advertising charges.

• Welcome to the National Sheep Association website

  This specialist organisation is dedicated to safeguarding the interests and future of sheep farmers throughout the UK. Originally established in 1892, NSA has seen tremendous growth over the past 30 years in both the pedigree and commercial sectors. Today the organisation is recognised by many, including Government, as a first port of call for the provision of sound, practical views on sheep industry issues. This is equally the case in Defra, SEERAD, The Welsh Assembly and DARD. Marketplace reform and political lobbying are the focal points of NSA work. Campaigning for a better understanding of the challenges facing grass root producers. Whether that be Ministry officials or others in the red meat chain, the need has never been greater than it is today.

• Welcome to the Farmers Weekly Interactive Website

  This website provides up to date information about farming

• Welcome to the Rare Breed Survival Trust website

  This specialist organisation is dedicated to safeguarding the interests and future of rare breed animals.