Norway - The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd

3rd October 20256th October 2025

My first month as a reindeer herder

It was 2022 I think, when I found a book in a local Waterstone’s in Kent entitled ‘An Arctic Life’ by Tilly Smith. At that point I had a road trip with my dog planned for the Cairngorms and fancied a book for the trip based in the area. I wasn’t aware that reindeer were free-roaming in the mountains, or that a wild herd had even been reintroduced to the UK (as a conservation student back then – shame on me!).

The book was so fascinating I read it twice! (And I’m not just saying that because the author is now my boss…) It was so interesting learning about a species reintroduction project that had been done in a way that still needed hands on husbandry management. I knew I wanted to learn more about how the herd was cared for, and the impact the reintroduced reindeer had had on the ecosystem.

In 2024 I left previous my job and took some time out road tripping Europe and the UK – and was lucky enough to see reindeer throughout North Norway and Finland! My interest in reindeer had grown and as soon as I got back home, I emailed the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre and asked if I could volunteer.

In May this year, I set off in my van for Glenmore to volunteer for a week with the herd. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to learn about the reindeer and experience how they lived within the mountains. Any expectations I had in coming here where well and truly surpassed.

For anyone who’s been to Glenmore, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about, and for those of you yet to travel here you’ll have to put up with my description that does not do justice to the breath taking beauty of the hills and mountains. The views of the rolling landscape went on for as far as I could see, and everyday I spent up on the hill with the reindeer I couldn’t believe how amazing it looked. The pine trees descended the hill towards Loch Morlich, and the beautiful hills rose up again the other side. The reindeer stood amongst the heather, their winter coats still hanging on and the purples and greens of the plant life framing them so perfectly. It felt like a real pinch me moment, and every day I was full of mixed emotions knowing that while I was loving every minute of each day, I was going to have to leave.

Having had an incredible week learning about these amazing animals, getting to know a few individuals by name, gaining experience in working with the reindeer, and having met the loveliest and most welcoming group of people I had ever experienced in a workplace – I knew I had to find a way to stay!

*Sending cows and calves out to free range during my week as a volunteer.*

I can’t have been completely useless, because two months later I was packing up my camper and my dog and I set off on the 600-mile journey to move to Glenmore! I was full of excitement the entire build up to the move, trying to remember all the reindeer IDs I had managed to learn while I’d been volunteering, the different morning tasks I had done, the information I had learned – all so I could hit the ground running and hopefully continue to not be completely useless. (My first incredible sights of the reindeer again quickly dispelled any hope in identifying anyone as I took in all their identical deep brown summer coats!)

It has now been almost a whole month since moving to the mountains and becoming a reindeer herder, and I can quite confidently say this is the best decision I have ever made. Not just because the reindeer are amazing, and the people fantastically welcoming and have made it feel like I’ve been apart of the team for ages, but because for the first time (maybe ever – not to be too dramatic), I feel completely at peace. Exploring the mountains with my dog on my days off, anticipating the excitement of being back at work and seeing the reindeer, and my fast-paced days as a herder filled with reindeer related tasks. My mind is clear with fresh mountain air and only thoughts of reindeer and where to hike next!

It’s so exciting to have every day filled with learning new information and skills, getting to take visitors up to the reindeer in the hill enclosure and talk to them about how fantastic these animals are, and to stop and take in how unbelievably lucky and grateful I am to have this job and call this place home.

*Can never spend enough time with reindeer.*

The highlight of my month so far has to be the first time I saw reindeer out free ranging in the mountains – six cows and a calf wandering through some heather. I walked a little way down to the path alone, equipped with a small bag of hand feed, and called to them. To my absolute delight (and relief as I had members of the public watching me) they immediately came over to me at quite some speed. With the occasional stop to hand feed the leader and the odd call, I lead them through the heather towards the river in the hope of walking them back into the enclosure. I got them quite far before a steep descent of a hill put them off following me any further, and as I stood below them looking up at the reindeer silhouetted by the sun, I had a chuckle to myself that I was getting paid to do this!

*Herding reindeer solo on the free range – Emmental closest to camera.*

The reindeer finally made it back into the enclosure after quite a lot of tempting, calling, and encouragement with head collars (oh yeah – and my colleague Cam turning up and doing most of the work with his years of experience to my three weeks! Thanks Cam), and I really felt like a reindeer herder.

Daisy

24th May 20193rd August 2024

Sleigh Ride in Norway

A couple of months ago there was a woman on our Hill Trip who wondered if we ever did sleigh rides with our reindeer. Apart from our parades around Christmas time, at which we use a sleigh for Santa to sit on, we don’t do any sleigh rides. It is simply not along the lines of what we want to use our reindeer for year round.

When I was in Norway before, there were companies that offered sleigh rides with reindeer. The owners of these reindeer seemed to be quite happy taking people along on sleigh rides and the reindeer, being rewarded with lichen, happily obliged. I couldn’t resist, so I gave it a go. It was quite fun, yet a lot slower than I had imagined, even though I had been involved with Christmas last year as well. The reindeer just take it slow and put up a pace you could easily keep up with on foot. Nonetheless, it’s quite calming and relaxing to be in your sleigh, being pulled by your reindeer. Reindeer seem to have a calming effect on people. This is something many people say on our hill trips, and something I’ve found as well from the first time I met them. So in Scotland it won’t be possible to go on a sleigh ride any time soon (unless you’re Santa and it’s Christmas time) but if you do it in Norway, Sweden or Finland, you’re up for a calming, relaxing ride, right through winter wonderland.

Manouk

12th October 201826th July 2024

Reindeer Herders Abroad

What do reindeer herders do when they meet reindeer when they are travelling abroad? Right, try to get some interaction! After having volunteered with the herd for a couple of weeks at different times last year, I had to finish my studies and for that I needed to do an internship in Norway (I know, poor me ;D). The lovely Trondheim, the town I lived in for 4 months, is surrounded by distant reindeer areas North, East and South of the city. I was really looking forward to meeting some Norwegian reindeer, and since I hadn’t seen them during the first week I was there (I mean, come on, it’s reindeer country!) I decided to just go to the nearest herd with a visitors centre, which was at a 2/3 hour drive away from home (practically nothing in Norwegian standards).

I met some beautiful reindeer behind a fence, but they were a bit far away… Then I got the slightly mad idea of trying to call them over the way we do in Scotland. I started at a very low volume but once I got their attention I decided to go for it, and they all came and meet me at the fence. It was really funny to see that these reindeer, so far from our herd in Scotland, actually seemed to react to the call we use there.

Later on I bumped into a herd that was free-ranging, tried the same thing, and had success again. The reindeer had been lying down, probably regurgitating some food they ate before, and they got up and came running towards me as soon as they heard the call.

I wonder if the reindeer I encountered reacted because our call is the same call used by Mikel Utsi, the Swedish Sami herder who was the founder of our herd in Scotland, or if reindeer are just greedy and associate human beings that show interest with the prospect of a nice meal! Reindeer sure are keen on their food, and if they can find any way to preserve energy by having it brought to them they are not likely to skip that opportunity.

Later on at the Centre I told the story to many a colleague and found out that they had tried similar things in other countries. Guess the quirkiness of reindeer herders is just as prominently present as the love for food in reindeer!

Manouk

9th June 201729th March 2024

Looking Back Part 2: The Norwegian Reindeer

Recently a Norwegian man got in touch with us while writing a book about the reindeer populations in an area of southern Norway called Setesdal, so I dug out the old records to see what info I could help him with. While most of our herd originated from Sweden (see Looking Back: Part 1), in 1961 the 5^th consignment of reindeer joined the Cairngorm herd, arriving from the Setesdal area on the MS Blenheim in the middle of September.

The group consisted of seven cows and one bull, ranging in age from yearlings to three year olds. The still relatively newly established Cairngorm herd was struggling a bit as many had died over the past 9 years, finding it difficult to thrive down in the forest as they were more suited to the mountain habitat above. In the mid-50s Mr Utsi had gained permission to move the reindeer higher up the hills where they managed much better, but new blood was also needed to prevent inbreeding – it was definitely time to bring in more reindeer. The Norwegian import brought the herd to around 30 animals.

One of the pages of our press cuttings scrapbooks from 1961.

Their success was varied however. Breive, Lisa, Olga and Valle had all died before the end of 1961, though I can’t find reference in the records as to whether they simply went missing, or died of a particular illness. Reindeer under the age of three are particularly susceptible to illness, having not had as much time to build up immunity to disease, and the Norwegian reindeer also arrived at a time of year when ticks are rife – still the main cause of illness amongst our reindeer today.

Laila on the left (with the collar) with Mr Utsi in March 1962.

Laila was the only reindeer of the consignment to calve the following year, on the 8th June 1962, but disaster struck when she died less than 24 hours after the birth. The calf was strong however, so Mr Utsi went on to hand-rear him, naming him Boko. Boko followed Mr Utsi everywhere and was extremely tame, going on to become a breeding bull in later years. He survived until December 1967, but as with all hand-reared animals, could be a little bit of a liability – there is a reference in the records which says ‘Very tame to lead if you keep your eyes on him’! Hand-reared animals don’t tend to understand the boundaries of acceptable behaviour – as any of you who have been on the receiving end of Fergus will know, our reprobate in the herd today!

Laila with Boko, a few hours after he was born.

Mr Utsi with the ever-present Boko at his heels, in 1963.

Mr Utsi at the Strathspey Farmers’ Club Show with Boko and bull Vikhta (August 1963).

Of the original 8 Norwegian reindeer, by far the most successful of them were the bull Jacob, and two cows Janet and Bykle. Jacob was used as a breeding bull for several years in the 60s, his bloodlines still very prevalent in the herd today, and Bykle produced one calf, Heather, who in turn went on to produce several offspring. This line died out in the 70s however but Janet went one better, producing three calves whose descendants continued in the herd until well into the 80s, finishing with another hand-reared calf, Wally. Wally was hand-reared by Alan, and a photo still hangs in the living room of Reindeer House of Alan bottle-feeding him, back in 1982.

Jacob in Coire Sneachdha, a familiar background to us all even now…

Alan (with considerably more hair than nowadays!) bottle feeding Wally.

So there we go. The success of the bull Jacob, in particular, goes to show the importance of introducing new bloodlines to the herd, and we have continued to import reindeer every now and then to keep our genetics as strong and as varied as possible. Right now there are 25 reindeer in our herd who were born in northern Sweden, one still remaining from our 2004 introduction (Addjá), two from 2008 (Magnus and Laban), and the remainder from 2011, many of whom are still breeding bulls today.

Hen

13th May 20169th March 2024

Superstitions

Since it’s Friday the 13^th, I thought I would try to write up a blog about superstitions from reindeer herders around the world. I thought it would be a fairly easy subject to research, but it turns out it is rather difficult and trying to determine what was actually believed way back when, and what has been made up for the tourist industry is exceedingly difficult. I have tried my best to be as accurate as possible and only report on reliable information, but do feel free to correct me if any of what is said below is wrong. Sámi shamanism, traditions, superstitions etc. are very difficult to come by because up until the mid-20^th century, the Sámi underwent ‘Norwegeniasation’. The Sámi were not allowed to speak their own languages, were converted to Christianity by missionaries and it was shameful to have Sámi roots. Attitudes have now changed and it is cool to be a Sámi now. There is even a festival in Norway called Riddu Riđđu where people can explore and enjoy their Sámi roots. Anyway, here are some little snippets of traditions and beliefs of reindeer herders around the world.

buffy_st_marie_fra_2013_utgaven_av_festivalen — A band at *Riddu Riđđ,* holding a Sámi flag on stage. (Photo from norwayfestivals.com)

The Chukchi, a group of reindeer herders from Siberia, thought it akin (bad) to sell a live reindeer, but would happily sell a dead reindeer. There is a book called ‘In a Far Country’, by John Taliaferro, which is a true story describing how, after whaling ships were trapped on Alaska’s north coast by ice, a missionary named Top Lopp decided to herd reindeer out to the 200+ whalers who would otherwise starve to death, with the help of 7 Eskimo herders, in the late 1800’s. The book describes the troubles that the men faced in trying to purchase live reindeer to herd across the Bering strait to the men stranded in Alaska. It talks about the Chukchi being offered a fortune in tobacco and cloth, but they would always refuse. The Chukchi would sell dead reindeer at 75 cents apiece, up to 500 at a time, but never a live reindeer.

Chukchi reindeer herder, Sergei Elevye, with one of his bull reindeer. (Photo from mediastorehouse.com)

The Sámi had and have a very close bond with nature, and natural phenomenon which nowadays can be easily explained by science, were of course much more exciting/terrifying occurrences. The aurora borealis, or Northern lights are of course one of the most fascinating and obvious phenomena in the north. Some northern Finnish reindeer herders used to believe that they were caused by a fox running extremely fast across the sky, whipping up the colours with her tail. The Sámi of Sweden feared the lights and would even hide away from it, or at least try to cover themselves if they could not hide. It is also extremely bad luck to mock, or even make notice of the lights, to some. It was believed that if you whistled at the lights, they would swoop down and kill you. However, if they did try to kill you, you could clap your hands and they would leave you alone.

This close connection with the natural world often meant that they would pray and give sacrifices to many different Gods. They also believed that everything had a spirit including certain trees and rocks. There were often stones that people would have to greet, otherwise the stone could get angry and come down on them. Unusual landforms, especially rocks, were often called seidi‘s and were worshipped to bring the worshipper protection. They were also seen as gateways to the underworld.

A *seidi* in Balsfjord (Image from wikipedia.com)

It is also believed that white reindeer bring good luck and all herders should have a white reindeer in their herd. Luckily, we have quite a few in our own herd, including Blondie, and her son Lego. Fiona has also heard that if you see a white reindeer, the sun and the moon all at the same time, it brings good luck. So have a look out next time you come on one of our visits!

Blondie 1010 — Blondie, relaxing on a sunny day.

The Sámi also joik, a form of acapella singing; its themes usually include animals, people and special occasions in life. The Sámi also joik about Stállo, who is a mythical being, very rich and very smart, and who is able to change shape and can even change the landscape so people become lost. He is an evil entity, and often the joiks describe how to trick Stállo.

We haven’t had many reindeer born on Friday 13^th, since it really is only May that the reindeer calve. We did have one handsome male reindeer born, called Peru. He lived up until around 8 years old, and was a ‘Christmas reindeer’. There are actually only 4 reindeer still alive who were born in 2005 with Peru, so I think he did ok to get to 8 years old. Obviously, I don’t know if one has been born today or not, but it doesn’t seem to be too bad an omen for the reindeer.

Peru 0812 — Peru looking handsome in his summer coat.

Imogen