autumn

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Autumn, herding the sheep.

In the autumn the sheep have to be driven down from the mountains again. They can not survive the winter there. The people walk or ride in a line with a few thousand yards or more between them, and drive the sheep together. As the sheep are extremely agile in cliffs and rocks, it is very important not to loose them running straight up to the cliffs. They can either get stuck there in very difficult surroundings, or manage to run totally away from the people.

Herding the sheep from the mountains.
Lukka, waiting ready to stop herds of sheep running up the mountain into the fog.

A man, herding on horseback, ponying a horse, followed by his dog. The man has to be on the lookout for the next men beside him, so they don't leave any areas uncovered. Preferably, no sheep are left. In reality it is very difficult not to leave some sheep behind, that either escape by running away or hiding.

A grey sheep in an autumn-coloured nature.

Sheep on the run jump like antelopes, to fool the "predator".

Sheep coming down to the corral

A very typical sheep-corral. The sheep are driven into the middle, and taken to the smaller enclosures from there.
Every farmer has his special small enclosure.

A farmer taking a lamb of his from the middle to the enclosure. The gates you see behind him are to the enclosures of other farms. Each farmer has his own ear-mark, and the farmers know the sheep apart that way. Two of the persons on the picture are wearing the traditional, warm, woolen-sweater (ullarpeysa).
The Icelandic sheep are fast growers, the lambs are ready for culling at 4 months of age.

In the autumn and winter, before shearing, the sheep can take quite a lot of snow, snuggling in their warm wool.

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