Native to the central and western Lake District in the north west of England Herdwicks are a hardy hill breed and live on the highest of England’s mountains, making them hardy and versatile sheep.
Spending much of their lives grazing the common lands of the high fells, the breed stands on strong white legs, with a white head and rams are horned, while ewes are polled.
The fleece should be heavy and dense with a good undercoat of fine wool of even colour and quality over the whole of the body, with a stronger ruffle or mane round the neck and top of the shoulder.
On both males and females the face and legs should be free from speckles, with the sheep retaining a fleece structure of wild sheep with two coats, a woolly undercoat and a protective hairy outercoat which does not part when the wind blows, unlike other improved breeds.
A slower maturing breed, due to the environment they have been developed in, the Herdwick is well adapted to its historic Lake District home and is noted for its longevity and ability to raise lambs for many years longer than many other breeds.Pictures provided by James Rebanks (1st & 2nd)
and Herdwick Sheep Breeders' Association (3rd, 4th, 5th)
For more information visit:
UK - Herdwick Sheep Breeders' Association
https://www.herdwick-sheep.com
USA - Herdwick Sheep Breeders' Association of North America
https://www.facebook.com/HSBANAInc
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