'A masterclass in why sheep count' - Mark Stephen, presenter of BBC Radio Scotland's Out of Doors

Acclaimed nature writer Polly Pullar has been fascinated by sheep since childhood, when she formed an inseparable bond with her pet lamb Lulu, and dozens more that followed.

Through her own years as a sheep farmer, personal encounters, interviews, adventures and anecdotes, Polly reveals the fascinating world of sheep culture, emphasising the importance of shepherds, crofters, farmers and their flocks as the backbone of a vital way of rural life. As she travels the country from Dartmoor to Shetland, she encounters a whole range of native and primitive breeds perfectly suited to the diverse habitats of the British Isles.

Her vivid descriptions of the animals, and those who care for them, reveal exactly why sheep matter. And she shows that despite current ecological debates about overgrazing, with careful management, it is possible to restore habitat alongside an animal that has played a key part of agricultural life throughout Britain for thousands of years.



Polly Pullar is a conservationist, naturalist, writer and photographer specialising in wildlife and countryside matters. She is also a wildlife rehabilitator. She contributes to numerous publications including The Scots Magazine, Scottish Field, Scottish Wildlife, BBC Wildlife & The People's Friend.). She lives on a small farm in Highland Perthshire, surrounded by an extensive menagerie.



'Polly has an uncanny ability to find the authentic voices of the countryside . . . people like herself, not separate from nature but part of it . . . A masterclass in why sheep count'



'An engaging, entertaining, and thought-provoking book... with guffaw-inducing anecdotes and colourful characters and events, In the Company of Sheep is a foray into the world of sheep that also explores controversial issues'



'Warm, wise and rich in storytelling - a beautiful celebration of sheep, fank, and folk'



'Polly has become one of Scotland's foremost conservationists and nature writers'