Isle of Skye, herding sheep on the Trotternish Peninsula

Photographer

Niles, John

Date

• 1988

Summary

• Single-track road on the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle of Skye, one of the more remote and sparsely populated parts of Scotland. Ever since the late eighteenth century, sheep herding has been key to the economy of the islands. Here a shepherd is driving a herd of sheep straight down the road in the direction of the photographer, while to the left, his partner is rounding up a few stragglers. These are blackface sheep of a kind that was introduced from northern England. There are no fences here. Peat cuttings can be seen in the middle distance to the right, while to the left are rock formations typical of this peninsula. The pull-out spaces on this narrow single-track road are clearly signposted.