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| ‘Eight, nine, ten …’ Why people are counting sheep in Cheddar Gorge | ‘Eight, nine, ten …’ Why people are counting sheep in Cheddar Gorge |
| (6 days later) | |
| There is a shaggy creation myth surrounding the feral sheep of Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. The story goes that during a poker game in the village in 1992 one of the gamblers, running out of money, put his seven sheep up as his stake. He lost, so the winner took the animals home and put them in his garden. The next morning the winner’s wife looked out of her window to see the new arrivals eating the garden ... and the sheep had to go. | There is a shaggy creation myth surrounding the feral sheep of Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. The story goes that during a poker game in the village in 1992 one of the gamblers, running out of money, put his seven sheep up as his stake. He lost, so the winner took the animals home and put them in his garden. The next morning the winner’s wife looked out of her window to see the new arrivals eating the garden ... and the sheep had to go. |
| Where they went is what draws 35 people to a layby in the chilly morning shadow of Cheddar Gorge. The winner of the two rams and five ewes deposited them on the craggy hillside there a quarter of a century ago, where they have been ever since – the seven becoming 10, becoming 50, then within five years 100 and now, well, who knows? | Where they went is what draws 35 people to a layby in the chilly morning shadow of Cheddar Gorge. The winner of the two rams and five ewes deposited them on the craggy hillside there a quarter of a century ago, where they have been ever since – the seven becoming 10, becoming 50, then within five years 100 and now, well, who knows? |
| Hence the annual sheep count organised by the National Trust – an attempt to quantify one of England’s only flocks of feral sheep. There are feral goats in the gorge too, but ownerless sheep are something of a rarity. | Hence the annual sheep count organised by the National Trust – an attempt to quantify one of England’s only flocks of feral sheep. There are feral goats in the gorge too, but ownerless sheep are something of a rarity. |
| Soay sheep, the variety roaming free in the gorge, are smaller than regular ones, are typically chocolate coloured, still have their tails and have the distinction of being self-shedding. But to know all that, you need first to be able to find them. | Soay sheep, the variety roaming free in the gorge, are smaller than regular ones, are typically chocolate coloured, still have their tails and have the distinction of being self-shedding. But to know all that, you need first to be able to find them. |
| Dr David Bullock, leader of the count and the Trust’s head of nature conservation, herds together the counters, a mixture of staffers, volunteers and students in land management and agriculture from the nearby Bridgwater and Taunton College. | Dr David Bullock, leader of the count and the Trust’s head of nature conservation, herds together the counters, a mixture of staffers, volunteers and students in land management and agriculture from the nearby Bridgwater and Taunton College. |
| “OK, folks,” he declares, his voice bouncing off the limestone rockface, “please gather round.” Right on cue, four sheep come trotting across to watch, three chocolates and a ginger Soay. “At the back of the group is a ram,” he explains, “and he is very interested in the ewes he is following. If there’s another ram we may see some violence.” | “OK, folks,” he declares, his voice bouncing off the limestone rockface, “please gather round.” Right on cue, four sheep come trotting across to watch, three chocolates and a ginger Soay. “At the back of the group is a ram,” he explains, “and he is very interested in the ewes he is following. If there’s another ram we may see some violence.” |
| Bullock, who has masterminded the count every year since 1992, explains the aim of the event, which goes beyond merely offering a nice day out in some of the most dramatic scenery in England: Cheddar Gorge is home to an array of flower-rich grassland as well as an important group of endangered whitebeam trees. If the feral goat population starts to spiral, that could be a problem for the survival of the whitebeam. | Bullock, who has masterminded the count every year since 1992, explains the aim of the event, which goes beyond merely offering a nice day out in some of the most dramatic scenery in England: Cheddar Gorge is home to an array of flower-rich grassland as well as an important group of endangered whitebeam trees. If the feral goat population starts to spiral, that could be a problem for the survival of the whitebeam. |
| Sheep and goat identification sheets are handed out and the group sets off en masse down the road winding into the village, passing a mural commemorating the presence of the Soay before dividing forces to clamber up the sides of the gorge or ascend the more regular 200-plus steps of the famous Jacob’s Ladder attraction. After a few minutes’ walking along the southern ridge of the gorge, Bullock stops. He edges towards a promontory and gestures at some bushes. Tucked in among the foliage, horns visible against the green, are two Soay rams, shaggy chocolate coats hanging off them. Bullock comes over all Attenborough. | Sheep and goat identification sheets are handed out and the group sets off en masse down the road winding into the village, passing a mural commemorating the presence of the Soay before dividing forces to clamber up the sides of the gorge or ascend the more regular 200-plus steps of the famous Jacob’s Ladder attraction. After a few minutes’ walking along the southern ridge of the gorge, Bullock stops. He edges towards a promontory and gestures at some bushes. Tucked in among the foliage, horns visible against the green, are two Soay rams, shaggy chocolate coats hanging off them. Bullock comes over all Attenborough. |
| “He’s a monster,” he says, counting the rings on the ram’s horns. “He’s not even five yet – he’s four. He is fantastic. His coat’s really good – he’s set for the winter. They can be emaciated at the end of the rutting season, but not him. | “He’s a monster,” he says, counting the rings on the ram’s horns. “He’s not even five yet – he’s four. He is fantastic. His coat’s really good – he’s set for the winter. They can be emaciated at the end of the rutting season, but not him. |
| “Look at the size of his scrotum. Per body weight that’s the biggest pair of testicles on any mammal. This is a bronze age sheep. He’s an example of the first kind of sheep that went from hair to fleece. He’s not a fossil, he’s a piece of history.” | “Look at the size of his scrotum. Per body weight that’s the biggest pair of testicles on any mammal. This is a bronze age sheep. He’s an example of the first kind of sheep that went from hair to fleece. He’s not a fossil, he’s a piece of history.” |
| The group moves on, both awed and exhausted, scanning the nearby hillside as well as the opposite face of the gorge. | The group moves on, both awed and exhausted, scanning the nearby hillside as well as the opposite face of the gorge. |
| “Look, there’s a goat,” says one, peering through binoculars. | “Look, there’s a goat,” says one, peering through binoculars. |
| “I think it’s a sheep, actually,” says another. | “I think it’s a sheep, actually,” says another. |
| “I can’t really tell if it’s anything,” says the first. “It’s not moving.” | “I can’t really tell if it’s anything,” says the first. “It’s not moving.” |
| A few minutes later, three more rams are spotted. “Wow!” exclaims Bullock. “Here is the breeding population for 100 to 200 ewes. These are the ones that would be the chief providers of offspring. Cheddar is one of the few places the public see rams and ewes together. It can be quite shocking for some people.” | A few minutes later, three more rams are spotted. “Wow!” exclaims Bullock. “Here is the breeding population for 100 to 200 ewes. These are the ones that would be the chief providers of offspring. Cheddar is one of the few places the public see rams and ewes together. It can be quite shocking for some people.” |
| Originally native to St Kilda, Soay sheep were left behind on Soay and Boreray, two of the islands on the archipelago, following the evacuation of the human population from Hirta, the main island in the group, in 1930. Two years later, a flock of Soay were released on Hirta, where they remain. | Originally native to St Kilda, Soay sheep were left behind on Soay and Boreray, two of the islands on the archipelago, following the evacuation of the human population from Hirta, the main island in the group, in 1930. Two years later, a flock of Soay were released on Hirta, where they remain. |
| Another group is also present on Lundy in the Bristol Channel, having been brought from St Kilda in 1924. The breed was a favourite of the Victorians, who demanded that these sheep, with their chocolate-coloured fleeces, be included in painted landscapes depicting the era’s notion of a native British Isles. | Another group is also present on Lundy in the Bristol Channel, having been brought from St Kilda in 1924. The breed was a favourite of the Victorians, who demanded that these sheep, with their chocolate-coloured fleeces, be included in painted landscapes depicting the era’s notion of a native British Isles. |
| The star status afforded the feral sheep almost makes one pity the goats. While tourists flock to see the sheep, one of the attractions helping to pull in the 500,000 annual visitors to Cheddar Gorge, goats are more commonplace. | The star status afforded the feral sheep almost makes one pity the goats. While tourists flock to see the sheep, one of the attractions helping to pull in the 500,000 annual visitors to Cheddar Gorge, goats are more commonplace. |
| Perched on the clifftop, they seem distinctly unimpressed by the sight of people approaching them with clipboards. Even when they do try to be sociable and visit the village, their liking for the brightly coloured flowers in hanging baskets is not appreciated by everybody. | Perched on the clifftop, they seem distinctly unimpressed by the sight of people approaching them with clipboards. Even when they do try to be sociable and visit the village, their liking for the brightly coloured flowers in hanging baskets is not appreciated by everybody. |
| Back in the layby, the counters compare notes. Bullock gathers them around him for the grand reckoning. In the manner of a TV game show host he gives the results: “In 2016 there were 80 sheep, in 2017 there are 107 sheep,” he declares. “In 2016 there were 50 goats, in 2017 there are 61 goats.” | Back in the layby, the counters compare notes. Bullock gathers them around him for the grand reckoning. In the manner of a TV game show host he gives the results: “In 2016 there were 80 sheep, in 2017 there are 107 sheep,” he declares. “In 2016 there were 50 goats, in 2017 there are 61 goats.” |
| A subdued whoop goes up from the assembled sheep counters. “We’ve been very lucky today,” says Bullock. “These are seriously important heritage animals.” | A subdued whoop goes up from the assembled sheep counters. “We’ve been very lucky today,” says Bullock. “These are seriously important heritage animals.” |
| While, for some, counting sheep has been an exhilarating experience, for others it has been enough to make them feel distinctly drowsy. | While, for some, counting sheep has been an exhilarating experience, for others it has been enough to make them feel distinctly drowsy. |
| “We finished an hour and a half ago,” says one student, “and we didn’t see any sheep at all.” | “We finished an hour and a half ago,” says one student, “and we didn’t see any sheep at all.” |
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