On a crisp January day in 1951, a Guardian journalist's inaugural countryside column captured a remarkable scene of animal resilience high in the Yorkshire Dales. The entry, which would mark the beginning of a 53-year writing legacy, documented how hardy mountain sheep weathered a severe snowy spell through instinct and ingenuity.
A First Glimpse from the Slopes
The observer, Harry Griffin, described skiing down the lower slopes near Sedbergh in the Yorkshire Dales on 8 January 1951. After reaching a dry-stone wall encircling a farm, he paused to check on the flock of lambing ewes belonging to a farmer named John. Against the vast white landscape, the black-faced Rough Fell sheep – native to the Westmorland fells – stood motionless, appearing like dark boulders scattered across the moorland.
Instinctive Engineering in the Snow
On closer inspection, the stillness was deceptive. Each ewe was quietly grazing from a small patch of grass at the bottom of a self-made cavity. The field told the story of their activity: a network of tiny hoof-prints crisscrossed the snow "like railway lines at a busy junction." Each set of tracks led in a perfectly straight line to a small cave dug into the snowdrift.
These were not random hollows but deliberate shelters. Griffin noted that if the snowfall intensified that evening, the sheep would spend the night in these snow holes. He observed that even if the entrances were "overblown" by drifting snow, the interior would remain warm and cosy, providing effective protection from the elements. He concluded that John's expectant mothers were safe and would take no harm from the continuing cold.
The Legacy of a Country Diary
This poignant observation of farming life and natural adaptation was Harry Griffin's very first Country Diary entry for The Guardian. He went on to contribute his column from the Lake District every other Monday for an astonishing 53 years, with his final piece published on 12 July 2004. His debut entry not only highlighted the enduring toughness of the Rough Fell breed but also established a tradition of detailed, thoughtful nature writing that would span decades.
The scene near Sedbergh serves as a timeless reminder of the deep connection between upland farmers, their flocks, and the challenging yet beautiful environment of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. The sheep's simple, effective strategy for survival continues to resonate as an example of resilience forged by the British landscape.
