The run-up to Christmas is always an incredibly busy time — especially for all the reindeer resting up ahead of the big day. But being a reindeer herder and looking after the UK’s only free-roaming herd is a year-round job. There are just over 150 reindeer, and they are all split between the hill enclosure at Glen Mor, the free-ranging group on the Cairngorm plateau and the farm at Glenlivet.
Cassie Screen is one of the six herders looking after the magnificent animals. She has been working as a herder since September 2023 and has spent the last year getting to know the reindeer. A lot of hill walking is involved.
.. Cassie explained that her job is “very outdoorsy” and that they can be out in all kinds of weather — particularly in the Cairngorms National Park where conditions can be extreme.
While the reindeer are free-roaming, a team goes up in the morning with their first bit of breakfast. They check in with the reindeer to make sure they’re all looking good and healthy and that there are enough reindeer for the hill trip at 11am. Then, those who didn’t go up first will take the public up for the hill trip, which Cassie described as an educational tour.
“It’s really wonderful,” Cassie added, “because you see people’s joy from seeing them in their natural environment.” If there’s another tour in the afternoon, the team will swap again, and Cassie says they consistently rotate. She said: “Although there is no doubt that you’ll fall in love with.