A flock of rare-breed sheep has returned to Hampstead Heath, where the animals will spend the coming weeks grazing the historic anthill meadows as part of a conservation project.
The sheep have arrived from Mudchute Farm through a partnership between the Heath & Hampstead Society, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and Heath Hands. Their return caps a testing summer for the open space, with long spells of hot, dry weather placing landscapes, wildlife and staff under strain, alongside incidents of antisocial behaviour.
As natural grazers, the flock will manage vegetation on the anthill meadows without the need for machinery, creating better conditions for wildflowers, insects and birds to thrive. It is a greener way to care for sensitive habitats — and part of the capital’s wider efforts on nature and the environment.
There is history in the grazing too. Sheep were once a common sight on the Heath, and their return reconnects the landscape with a centuries-old tradition while helping to look after it in a sustainable way.
The flock has already drawn admirers, including David Hopkins, Master of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, who visited with his wife Binnie, and Gwyn Howells, who has just finished his term as Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers.
Looking ahead to autumn, the annual Conker Championships take place on the Heath on 4 October, run in partnership with Heath Hands. The Heath is also one of the capital’s finest vantage points — see our pick of 4 stunning viewpoints in London.
The City of London Corporation, which looks after the Heath as trustee of the Hampstead Heath Charity, invests millions of pounds a year in its care at no cost to council taxpayers — protecting wildlife, maintaining facilities and keeping the landscape open to everyone. It also cares for open spaces across south-east England, where every hour spent tackling litter, vandalism and fires is time that could otherwise go towards improving habitats and supporting conservation.
Visitors are being asked to treat the Heath with respect so it can be enjoyed by people and wildlife alike. And when the sheep move on, there is plenty more to discover in the borough — see our 5 hidden gems in Camden.
