Balnahard & Colonsay Wool Growers

Balnahard & Colonsay Wool Growers Balnahard is located on the beautiful Hebridean Isle of Colonsay. Offering self catering holidays, b

The David calls her Fringe-y
19/09/2026

The David calls her Fringe-y

A bullock looks at a pile of old fencing and sticks his tongue out
18/09/2026

A bullock looks at a pile of old fencing and sticks his tongue out

16/09/2026

Bringing the last few ewes and lambs in to be sorted out.

Lambs will all be weaned and sorted into girls for keeping, girls for selling and also boys for selling

We keep approx 110 girls every year to go into the flock to replace the older ladies.

That's about 25% of the adult ewe numbers (we have approx 430 breeding age sheep).

The girls and I have been up in the wild corner of the silage field collecting Bog Myrtle to dry for winter dyeing.Gives...
16/09/2026

The girls and I have been up in the wild corner of the silage field collecting Bog Myrtle to dry for winter dyeing.

Gives me a chance to admire the Devil's Bit Scabious while they admire the rabbits 🐇.....

Corners and edges of the silage fields are great for biodiversity and wild flowers - they have animals excluded from them from May to the end of August while the grass grows for winter fodder and then they are lightly grazed in the autumn by sheep and cows, who trample about and 💩


An update on the calf that slipped down the hillA bit disappointed that she's not improved very much. It looks like the ...
15/09/2026

An update on the calf that slipped down the hill

A bit disappointed that she's not improved very much.

It looks like the problem is in her hip, hence her reluctance to put any weight on her back hoof.

We've been in consultation with our vet, who advises to keep up the painkillers/anti inflammatory injections and to keep her as quiet as possible.

They are currently in the paddock at the yard but we'll move them to a nice flat field later after another injection. And then it's just a waiting game 🤞🤞

Been on a walk this afternoon learning about some of Colonsay's significant rocks.We've been lucky enough to have geolog...
12/09/2026

Been on a walk this afternoon learning about some of Colonsay's significant rocks.

We've been lucky enough to have geologist Michael Flowerdew staying on the island, and along with PHD student Phillip they were kind enough to share some of their knowledge with us here in a talk and a walk.

Sadly we missed the talk due to the 'cow on cliff incident' but had an enjoyable time today looking at the rock formations along Kiloran Bay.

About 20 people turned out and after a small shower at the start, the afternoon turned out nice and sunny 🌞

Many thanks to Michael and Phillip for making time to do both events 👏 Very much appreciated




Yesterday afternoon I had cause to climb the hill behind the house more times than I would have wanted to! It does have ...
11/09/2026

Yesterday afternoon I had cause to climb the hill behind the house more times than I would have wanted to!

It does have great views across the farm but it is incredibly hard walking.

Hill cows born and bred on this type of land are exceptionally good at knowing where to go and where not to go. They instinctively know about cliffs and bogs and other hazards

Yesterday (with the David away) I was a bit surprised to see a cow standing on the edge of the cliff above the yard, shouting for her calf.

To cut a long story short, her calf was injured at the bottom of the cliff ( sore and very lame on one leg but looking better this morning already) and very reluctant to move.

The main problem was that the cow was determined to stay on the cliff edge and it took me a long time to persuade her otherwise. I couldn't get up the cliff below her and was extremely nervous about approaching her and accidentally making her fall too.

I tried everything I could think of to persuade her to walk along the hill a bit - putting the calf out on the track at a point that she could get down and where she could see it, bringing other cow's along to see if she'd come down to them.

She seemed to have lost the knowledge that she definitely has, that to get down from where she was, she needed to walk along back off the cliff and come down the hill further along.

Anyway, after a few hours and too many heart stopping moments as she eyed up other vertical routes down, she walked along the hill and out of danger. David arrived home at 7pm and we got them into the little paddock by the yard.

The first pic is the farmhouse from above with both dogs sitting on the bike, keeping an eye on the calf and watching the drama from below

The David is away so after our stock checks I took the terrible two rabbiting above Kiloran BayQuite breezy up there thi...
10/09/2026

The David is away so after our stock checks I took the terrible two rabbiting above Kiloran Bay

Quite breezy up there this morning

Thank you for all your help naming the blue sea creature on yesterday's post - it's a By the Wind Sailor.
Look it up for more info, it's a strange thing!

But not uncommon, particularly after rough weather, which we have had. Just surprised I've not noticed any before



Can anyone tell me what this is? I thought it was a bit of plastic floating in the sea so I picked it up but it is a ver...
09/09/2026

Can anyone tell me what this is?

I thought it was a bit of plastic floating in the sea so I picked it up but it is a very beautiful something and such a deep blue colour

Then I realised there were actually quite a few of them on the shoreline

If you want to see a collie with a rubber glove, scroll on....👋

Address

Isle Of Colonsay
Scalasaig
PA617YT

Telephone

+447850230000

Website

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