Mireside
Ennerdale | Lake District | UK
Sam is a shepherd-farmer in the Lake District. He farms in the Ennerdale Valley on an old traditional farm, Mireside Farm. The farm is centuries old. Sam works three jobs to provide for his family. His pack of 14 dogs are his pride and joy. He works them on the fells gathering sheep as a contract shepherd, hiring himself and his working dogs out to farmers who want take their sheep down from the fell, the uplands. Sam makes long days taking the big flocks of traditional Herdwick sheep down to the farms. His own farm, Mireside, has a large flock of Herdwick sheep grazing at the fells above. The farmhouse is beautifully situated on the edge of Ennerdale Water. 'The lake is too small to be called a lake, hence the word water,' Sam explains.
The word Fell originates from the old Norse word of mountain or hill. Fell refers to a Lake District mountain or a moor covered hill. Norse people, originally descendants from Vikings, brought Scandinavian words. Other Norse words in the north of England are beck, which means stream, dale, which means valley and gill which means ravine.
Also Herdwick sheep, a sturdy local Lake District breed, have Norse roots. This ancient breed was probably brought to the north-west of England somewhere between the 10th and 11th centuries during the Viking invasions of western England. Herwick sheep have thick grey coats that are structured to provide the best protection against cold strong winds just as their wild ancestors had. The word Herdwyck, which probably originated from the Old Norse word herdvyck, means sheep pasture in old Norse. Herdwicks are ‘hefted’, which means they are attached to their birth area, which is why farms are often sold including a flock of Herwicks.
Herdwicks graze for most of the year on the high rugged fells, where they feel perfectly at home, even in the most difficult and rugged terrain they can survive and find plenty to eat.
Herdwicks graze for most of the year on the high rugged fells, where they feel perfectly at home, even in the most difficult and rugged terrain they can survive and find plenty to eat.
