Drovers' Photos

A companion to the article Westies As Drovers by Leslie Lowes.
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Crofting Country at Assynt
- a hard land dotted with abandoned croft houses.
Photo Credit: STB

Croft Interior
- The "But" End is the living and working area. Cooking was done on the peat fire.
A homemade straw basket over the resting chair keeps the salt dry near the fire.
Above it the fiddle and salt fish drying in the roof.
Photo Credit: STO

Croft Exterior
The Crofter, His Wife and their Kitten
Photo Credit: STO

Thatched Crofthouse
Beneath a Dramatic, Leaden, Highland Sky. Serious Rain is Threatened.
Photo Credit: STB

Droving Today
- Fenced roads have made droving easier for the crofter and for his drove dog,
nowadays usually a border collie.
Photo Credit: STO

Dusk Over a Croft on Bressay
Crofters live close to nature and often, close to the sea as well,
from which they harvest fish. Crofters are sometimes described as farmers
with a small boat, sometimes as fishermen with a small farm.
Both versions are equally correct.
Photo Credit: STO

Highland Cattle
- the hardy dual purpose meat-and-milk breed for which Scotland is famous.

Highland Cow
- The shaggy coat of the Highland Cow keeps the animal warm in winter
whilst the wide sweep of horns will protect from danger,
chiefly cars on unfenced roads these days.

Copyright © 2003 Leslie Lowes, STB, STO and Westie World