Stromness Academy students learn traditional drystone sheep dyke restoration methods

A group of students from Stromness Academy volunteered for a unique opportunity to help repair and rebuild damaged sections of a 13-mile drystone sheep dyke on North Ronaldsay recently.

Working alongside two sheep wardens, eight young people joined teacher Jane Ellison and school janitor, Mark Waters in learning to replicate traditional methods of building and restoration work on part of the wall, which is there to keep the seaweed eating sheep on the island’s beaches.

Jane came up with the idea after taking part in an earlier North Ronaldsay Sheep Festival – a volunteer-led, conservation fortnight with the aim of re-building and repairing the dyke, protecting the native flock and celebrating the island’s distinct culture.

She said: “Pupils all volunteered to take part in the trip after I had the idea to help the NR Sheep Festival with their dyke build. Having attended the festival in 2019 I felt passionate in encouraging youngsters to get involved in maintaining and being part of their heritage. Once the challenges of Covid were put to one side I began to make a plan with the support of school and the Sheep Festival Committee’s Kate Price and John Oliver Scott. 

“Not only did the students get to learn new skills it was great to watch their teamwork and amazing work ethic in seeing the challenge through. They also met up with visiting Burray pupils and the three children from North Ronaldsay School.”

The students spent three nights at the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory and Hostel where they pre-planned meals and cooked for each other and were given a tour of the lighthouse by long standing keeper Billy Muir and a tour of the working Woolmill which helped demonstrate the importance of the sheep on island. The icing on the cake was seeing orcas and baby seals.

Kate, of the Sheep Festival Committee, added: “Thank you again for arranging the trip and bringing all those wonderful young people to North Ronaldsay - they are indeed the future and the very fact that they’re so interested and willing to give up their time to learn a new skill, carry on tradition and help others is a credit to their character, and to Stromness Academy. Bravo to all!”