The historic practice of driving cattle or sheep to high, rough grazing lands during the summer months and living alongside them in a temporary shelter or hut. This transhumance system kept the animals off the valley meadows so the lower fields could be grown and cut for winter hay.
Heard on the job
In the old days, the whole family would shiel up in the hills until the first frosts of autumn.
Insider tip
This is an old Scottish and Northern English term, deeply tied to traditional pastoral farming before widespread enclosure.
Also heard as
- shieling