Philip Walling

Not quite a four star due to the last bit of the last chapter. No Mr Walling I believe we are quite sure that peatlands are disappearing and they are so important we have to try to reverse that change. We may not have the answer to that but have to keep trying. And overgrazing may have played a part. Otherwise not only a delightful read but full of information. Sheep have always been so important in the history of the UK but also the course of civilization, that we should all know a lot more about it.… (more)

Normally when I think of sheep, the first thing that springs to mind is the hilarious series by Aardman, Shaun the Sheep. That aside, sheep have had a long history in this country from the ancient wild Jacob breeds, the domesticated breeds that the Romans brought over 2000 years ago, right up to the modern breeds and crosses that populate our hills and pastures still now. Way back in the past, sheep drove our economy and people made vast fortunes supplying, what was considered, the finest wool in the world. The ovine economy helped define our culture and landscape too, the Wooksack can be found in the Lords (now they have removed the horsehair), and the husbandry of sheep played a significant role in our social structures and infrastructure.

The work has always been hard, as Walling finds out as he meets the shepherds and enthusiasts who own and care for the modern day breeds today in our countryside. They still support our rural economy today, though they have much less impact financially than they did. In his journey back to our heritage he re-discovers the landscape today and learns of the modern challenges behind sheep farming today. It is not a bad book overall, with thought provoking writing. I really think though that I really don’t need to know any more about sheep now though.… (more)

Not quite a four star due to the last bit of the last chapter. No Mr Walling I believe we are quite sure that peatlands are disappearing and they are so important we have to try to reverse that change. We may not have the answer to that but have to keep trying. And overgrazing may have played a part. Otherwise not only a delightful read but full of information. Sheep have always been so important in the history of the UK but also the course of civilization, that we should all know a lot more about it.… (more)

Counting Sheep is a interesting book about British sheep, their history, and their future. Focusing on a few breeds, the author describes the lives of sheep in various regions of Britain, how some breeds came to be, and how things have changed over time. From the Romans to the EU and from the Outer Hebrides to Kent, he manages to cover quite a bit in only a little space. There are also very compelling chapters about sheep dogs and about foot and mouth. For anyone with an interest in sheep or the British countryside.… (more)