Ruthven Farm

Ruthven Farm is a family-run upland sheep farm in the Cairngorm National Park run by the Simmons family.  We run 800 ewes of various breeds – our main business is breeding mule ewe lambs which are sold to lowland farms for breeding.  The bulk of the flock are Blackface and Cheviot ewes, which are crossed with Blue Faced Leicester sires to produce the mules, or bred pure to provide replacements. 

We run about 100 mule ewes to produce meat lambs, and have small flocks of pedigree Blue Faced Leicesters and Suffolks which produce tups for us to use on the main flock.

Sheep are not just our business, they are also our hobby! So we have a small flock of Ryelands which we show at agricultural shows. We also run a small flock of Icelandics, just because we love them!

Of course we wouldn’t be able to work the farm without the help of our dog team – Meg, Kate and Kiwi, and new arrival Tess.  Meg is happy to provide a sheepdog demonstration as part of the farm tour – she loves showing off! 

We take pride in managing the farm in an environmentally sensitive way, and focus on habitat enhancement to encourage both resident and visiting species of wildlife so we were incredibly proud to win the Cairngorms Nature Farm Award in 2016, and then the RSPB Nature of Farming Award (Food and Farming category) in 2017, recognising the environmentally sensitive management of the farm. And we were finalists in both the Agriculture and Conservation and the Environment categories of the Scottish Rural Awards in 2019. 

We took over the tenancy at Ruthven in 2006, and since then have carried out various environmental schemes on the farm, - hedges, woodland, ponds, riparian enhancement, and wader scrapes.  The results of these schemes have brought huge benefit to the farm in the form of improved wildlife habitat and shelter for stock. This area is an important breeding area for waders, and during the season there is nothing better than hearing the calls of oystercatchers, curlews, lapwing and golden plover, and witnessing the spectacular drumming display of the snipe. 

Tours at Ruthven run from late May until the end of August, and usually involve a shearing demonstration, a look at the different breeds of sheep we have and the different types of wool they produce, and a sheepdog demonstration. Most of this tour is in the easily accessible sheep sheds, followed by a short but steep walk to the dog training park – stout footwear is essential.  Alternatively, if you prefer a longer walk to see and discuss the environmental work we have carried out, see the local wildlife, and some sheep along the way, then we are happy to oblige. A good degree of fitness is essential for this version of the tour.