The day I… Became a shepherdess

We moved to the tiny island of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides about 20 years ago.

My husband, Andrew, got a job there in marine conservation. His family is from the island so it was like going home.

We had married the year before and I saw it as a big adventure. But to be honest, I never imaged I’d be here forever.

Ten years ago we bought Sunhill Croft on the northeast side of the island. Two years later we decided to take on a flock of ten Hebridean sheep.

They’re a hardy North Atlantic, short-tailed sheep breed that thrives in cold climates thanks to their double-layered fleece.

But they are also seafaring sheep!

Continuing an ancient practice, we take our sheep out to graze on four uninhabited islands dotted along the Sound of Harris.

Ferrying sheep to and from the islands was a steep learning curve!

Luckily, our sheep are very small, light and nimble which makes it easier to get them on and off our small boat.

The sheep seem quite content on the boat but obviously, they are desperate to jump ashore as soon as we land.

They are also a bit wild so it can be a tricky and challenging process, but we’ve learned as we go.

It involves a lot of hard work, preparation and patience. You get a good workout carrying, lifting and moving the sheep, too.

Out there in the wilds, we are in the company of sea eagles, golden eagles and deer that swim between the islands.

It’s an incredible experience.

Our flock has now grown to 150 which we manage with the help of our two teenage sons, Hamish and Finbar.

They are both fluent in Gaelic but I can only speak it a little, so they both love to mutter things under their breath or joke around together and I’m none the wiser.

I soon realised we should do something with the fleece we were collecting and started working with the Natural Fibre Company in Cornwall.

It was so exciting to send off this smelly dark fleece and then receive a box of beautiful yarn in return.

I launched the Birlinn Yarn Company in 2015.

A birlinn is a Hebridean galley based on the design of a Viking longboat. According to local folklore, these North Atlantic sheep were brought by the Viking to the Hebrides in these boats.

We now work with other local crofters who own Hebridean and Cheviot sheep to produce 500 kilos of fleece a year.

Sorting, cleaning and packing all the fleece up is a pretty smelly job that always seems to get left to me!

The blend of black and white fleece we send to the mill creates a lovely stone grey yarn which we colour with different organic dyes.

I call these my Hebridean colours as I take inspiration from the landscapes and seascapes seen from our window.

Wool is an amazing, sustainable material and our yarn is warm, hard-wearing and breathable. Made into sweaters, it’s our go-to when we are out on the boats or outdoors working with the sheep!

I’ve been working with some of the country’s top knitwear designers, including Kate Davies, who has created a beautiful sweater design for us called Udal.

We sell these patterns on our website. Next year I plan to work on a men’s sweater.

We’ve also recently launched a line of upmarket knitting tote bags made with Harris Tweed, designed to fit your knitting gear and your tablet.

Harris is just over the Sound from us and the tweed is another beautiful wool material handwoven by crofters, so it seemed like a natural fit.

Berneray is a really small island, about two miles by three miles with a population of 130. When I first came here from Edinburgh, I did think, ‘Is this it? Will I ever get my glad rags on again and go out clubbing?’ But now I’m perfectly content. The west coast is one long, white sandy beach with freezing cold turquoise water.

Our kids had a brilliant childhood here. As a family we are surfing, diving, sailing, and mucking about on and under the water.

We’re so lucky to live in such a beautiful, special place. There’s not many places left like this in the world.

The Birlinn Yarn Company will be at the Country Living Christmas Fair at the SEC from Thursday until Sunday.