The Shieling Project is an off-grid learning centre in the Highlands of Scotland

Do you want to live sustainably, learn new skills, and spend time outside? Learn how to milk a cow, weave a basket, build a bothy or investigate our recent past at our off-grid learning centre. Come outdoors and get stuck into the shieling life with us.

The Shieling Project is an off-grid learning centre in the Highlands of Scotland.  We have two sites – in Glen Strathfarrar near Beauly, and in Gartymore near Helmsdale. The project is all about outdoor living – from looking after our livestock to making real buildings and weaving baskets to making burgers from the meat we have raised here. You can help with seasonal tasks like planting, moving the cattle, making hay, or harvesting the crops. The tradition of the shieling where folk lived outdoors all summer herding the cattle, gives us a window onto the past, but also helps us look forward to a sustainable future. Alongside our schools provision, we offer lots of courses and events throughout the year from craft weeks to family camps.

Our Amazing Team.

Hear from visitors to the Project

Do you want to milk a cow, build a bothy, or plant a forest? Be an archaeologist, a poet, a weaver? Come outdoors and get stuck in to shieling life with us.

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A chàirdean, 

I’m Heini, and I will be joining the Shieling Project team in April, when I start in my post as a Gaelic Education Manager. I say joining - actually it will be a happy return! My first dive into Shieling life was in 2019, when I spent the summer in Struy, working with groups and getting stuck into all aspects of life at the site. After the summer, I went to gain my teaching certificate, and for the past year and a half I have been working as a Gaelic Medium Primary Teacher in the Western Isles. It has been such a rich experience living in a community where Gaelic is at the heart of the culture, and I feel extremely privileged and grateful for the opportunity to learn so much during my time there. I’m very excited to be able to bring some of the things I have learned along the way - both within and outside the classroom - to the Shieling, and put my skillset to good use providing a living context for Gaelic at the Shieling Project. 

From April onwards, I will be working closely with all the groups that visit the site in order to promote the use and engagement with Gaelic in all aspects of life at the Shieling. I will be helping visitors make a connection between the beautiful site and Gaelic place-names, stories, and songs. I will also be supporting other staff members in their use of Gaelic, and making sure everyone who comes to visit the gets a feel for the relevance of Gaelic for everything we do at the Shieling Project.

I’m looking forward to returning to the Shieling and meeting and working with you all! Tha mi a’ dhèanamh fiughair mhòr ri ur faicinn aig an Àirigh a dh’aithghearr.

#theshielingproject #shielinglife #scotland

With thanks to @bordnagaidhligThis year we will also be running courses at our site in Gartymore. These include Compost Toilet Building (2nd-3rd Sept) and Turf Roof and Wall Building (16th-17th Sept). Beautiful sea views included. Check out https://www.theshielingproject.org/en/events/skills/sustainable-building for more information.

#sustainablescotland #sustainableskills #sustainablebuildingskills  #theshielingprojectSpring news from the Shieling Project. You can sign up on our website to get our quarterly newsletter.Living in the times of the shieling required young people to be self-sufficient and resourceful. They had to learn how to build and maintain their own shelter, gather firewood, cook over an open fire, and take care of their animals. These skills gave them a sense of independence and confidence in their own abilities.
Our camps help young people build resilience and confidence. We want them to thrive and learn new skills. Parents/ carers often see a big difference in young people when they return home.We have 10 acres of ground in Strathfarrar. Our site includes areas to run & play (the stream being a favourite), hay & traditional grain crop fields, a basket willow plantation, all our buildings & wilder areas where we have planted trees, as well as the larch hill with views up the glen. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for birds, dragonflies, lichens and of course it’s very significant piece of the ancient Caledonian Pine wood.Any visit to the Shieling Project includes the chance to learn more about the Project itself including the animals, the various tools we use, our renewable energy and the land surrounding us. Head on over to our website to find out more about the courses and camps we are running this year.

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21 Mar 23At our craft weekend in June (15th–18th), we will be working & creating with raw wool. Our wool is provided by our own Shetland sheep who are well suited to our climate, with their wool highly prized for its softness, warmth and durability. https://t.co/6xNeUsnZCR https://t.co/ejIdtybpwkAt our craft weekend in June (15th–18th), we will be working & creating with raw wool. Our wool is provided by our own Shetland sheep who are well suited to our climate, with their wool highly prized for its softness, warmth and durability. https://t.co/6xNeUsnZCR https://t.co/ejIdtybpwk
19 Mar 23Our family camps provide a chance for everyone to get hands on, learning traditional skills in a friendly, relaxed manner. We still have availability in our 1st family camp of the year (Camp 2- fully booked). (cont) https://t.co/UtW5fvQ34R https://t.co/XSfsmgFwos