Rough Grazing and Moorland

MoorlandRough grazing or moorland completes the farm mosaic. This varies throughout the National Park from smaller areas of rush covered grassland around the Hadrian’s Wall and North Tyne, through the heather clad moorlands of Simonside to the vast areas of grassland, heather and blanket bog of the Cheviot Hills. Very different techniques are required to manage stock on the larger areas.

The sheep that graze here are always the hardier breeds (Black-face, Swaledale or Cheviot) and they are bred to their particular bit of hill. This is known as hefting, the ewe knows her patch and will stick to it.

Quad bikes have revolutionised the lives of shepherds and their dogs. In the lambing season these bikes make it much easier to cover the larger areas once or twice a day to check the stock. This is particularly important when the lambs are still young.