Helen Percy – Whistlebare

Description

The Shepherd, her Dogs, the Mist and the Mountain

In her compelling follow-up to Skirly Crag, Helen Percy invites you back into the enchanting yet challenging world of rugged moorland life in Whistlebare. This captivating memoir offers an unflinching portrayal of the daily hardships and triumphs faced by those who embrace the wild beauty of the countryside, in her case the Scottish Highlands.

Join Helen as she navigates the ups and downs of rural existence as she cares for an eclectic menagerie of animals. Through heartfelt anecdotes and moments of unexpected humour, Helen weaves a rich tapestry of solitude, resilience and the profound connections that can be found in the most challenging circumstances.

A former Church of Scotland minister, Helen decided to change her life and become a shepherd. Since leaving the Church in 1997, she has worked with victims of child rape in South Africa and donkeys in the Kalahari Desert. Back home in the Highlands, she has contracted for a number of eccentric farmers throughout Scotland, often travelling in a small van with her sheepdogs, a tame duck and an epileptic hare. Part of ‘Skirly Crag’ (2025) and some scenes in the sequel, ‘Whistlebare’ (2026) take place on Mull.