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    Transhumance

    United Kingdom

    There are [5] photos and [1] story about United Kingdom

    Once they have reached the final destination, the sheep are placed in a pen. To mark the end of the journey, the shepherds remove the pom poms and bells for another year. This is a tough job, taking many hours to remove all the decorations from the tired sheep. After this is finished, one shepherd and his wife, spend 3 months in a tiny wooden shack looking after the many flocks, letting them eat new grass, tending to them and making sure they stay safe. This gives time for the other shepherds to go and refresh and look after their farms in the lowlands, ready for another year, before their sheep return. by: isola Views[203] It's long hard days for the shepherds to keep their flocks from going into ditches, and leading them along the long winding mountainous paths. They face all kinds of weather conditions, injuries, and sleep under the stars each night. by: isola Views[206] As the sheep join together, as do the different shepherds and their families. This is true family tradition. One shepherdess told me her father did 54 transhumance's in his lifetime. She also said, even though its hard work, its their way of life and it means to much to each one of them. by: isola Views[161] The shepherds and their flocks come from all different areas, so to begin with, there are groups of around 100-200 sheep trekking with their individual shepherds. There is a momentous time, where all these different flocks join together at the Pont Moutonnier. The Pont Moutonnier literally means 'sheep bridge'. This was built specifically for the flocks to cross from one side of the mountain to the other, and is still used today. At this point, the total number of sheep joining together can be up to 3000. Here we see the sheep rushing past after just crossing the bridge. by: isola Views[214] This is a glimpse into the 2000 year old tradition of the adventures that happen each summer during the migration of nearly 3000 bell-clad and decorated sheep. Every year, a group of local shepherds gather their flocks, to trek by foot from the low lands of Southern France, up through the Cévennes. This is no ordinary event, over the week or so they move up the mountains, the sheep are dressed in colourful paint and pom-poms. The community of shepherds have continued this tradition for generations, to give their flocks fresh grass to eat in the cool mountains to avoid the blistering hot summer months by the coast. This method of moving the sheep gradually rather than quickly and easily in a lorry, is unique, and with our culture wanting to do everything instantly, these people are fighting for this wonderful tradition to continue! by: isola Views[237]
     

    Photos: My Scholarship entry - Transhumance: A Journey through the Cévennes.

    Sunday, 23 Nov 2014 | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

    I inquisitively love to tell human stories & in my 22 years living on this earth & in the little traveling I've done, I've developed a passion to explore & discover how different people live & other cultures work. I'm currently working for WaterAid, where ... Read more >
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    Tags: 2014 travel photography scholarship

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