In the Company of Sheep

by Polly Pullar

Acclaimed nature writer Polly Pullar has been fascinated by sheep since childhood, when she formed an inseparable bond with her pet lamb Lulu, and dozens more that followed.

Through her own years as a sheep farmer, personal encounters, interviews, adventures and anecdotes, Polly reveals the fascinating world of sheep culture, emphasising the importance of shepherds, crofters, farmers and their flocks as the backbone of a vital way of rural life. As she travels the country from Dartmoor to Shetland, she encounters a whole range of native and primitive breeds perfectly suited to the diverse habitats of the British Isles.

Her vivid descriptions of the animals, and those who care for them, reveal exactly why sheep matter. And she shows that despite current ecological debates about overgrazing, with careful management, it is possible to restore habitat alongside an animal that has played a key part of agricultural life throughout Britain for thousands of years.

Reviews of In the Company of Sheep

'Polly has an uncanny ability to find the authentic voices of the countryside . . . people like herself, not separate from nature but part of it . . . A masterclass in why sheep count' – Mark Stephen, presenter of BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors

'An engaging, entertaining, and thought-provoking book… with guffaw-inducing anecdotes and colourful characters and events, In the Company of Sheep is a foray into the world of sheep that also explores controversial issues' – Sally McDonald, Sunday Post

'Warm, wise and rich in storytelling – a beautiful celebration of sheep, fank, and folk' – Peter MacQueen – author, crofter, & broadcaster

'Polly has become one of Scotland's foremost conservationists and nature writers' – Roger Hutchinson, West Highland Free Press