Farm Experience · Animals Maghera, the Sperrins, Co. Londonderry
Glenshane Country Farm
A fourth-generation shepherd's farm high in the Sperrins — book in to watch a trained team of sheepdogs work the flock, with the shepherd right beside you.
A working shepherd's farm in the Sperrin foothills where you book in, stand in the field beside the shepherd, and watch a trained team of collies read a whistle and gather the flock — then warm up with tea by a turf fire.
What you'll do — the Sheepdogs at Work experience: stand out in the field with the shepherd and see how he directs his dogs with whistles, quiet words and a wave of the hand to gather the sheep, work them through the gates and lead them into the traditional wooden pens. You can touch the sheep, hear the stories of four generations of hill farming, and take in the long view over the Sperrins.
The shepherd & the dogs — the farm is run by Jamese McCloy, described as a fourth-generation shepherd, with a working team of collies — Moss, Tess and Jess — from a long line of farm dogs.
How long — the Sheepdogs at Work experience runs about 60 minutes. The bigger, tour-operator "A Shepherd's Life" day can stretch from one to four hours with shearing, wool crafts and a fireside lunch.
Group size — small groups and individuals can book the Sheepdogs at Work experience for up to ten people; it's run as a private tour, so a minimum charge applies.
Cost & food — rates are on request rather than a fixed ticket price, so ask when you book. Tea, traditional food and a warm by the turf fire are part of the welcome; confirm exactly what's included for your visit.
Pre-booked only — there's no walk-in. Everything at the farm runs by arrangement, so book ahead through glenshanecountryfarm.com or ring the farm before you set off. This is not a play farm or a drop-in petting yard.
A real working hill farm — come ready for the field. You'll be out on grass on a Sperrin hillside, so sturdy shoes or wellies and a warm coat make the hour. Dress for the hill and the weather, whatever the sky's doing.
Plan your visit
Book ahead — it all runs by arrangement
This isn't a gate you turn up at. Everything at Glenshane Country Farm is pre-booked, so the visit is arranged with you before you travel. The farm is listed as open year round, and the flagship Sheepdogs at Work experience — the one small groups and individuals can book directly — runs for around an hour with up to ten people, out in the field with the shepherd and his dogs. It's run as a private tour with a minimum charge, and rates are quoted on request rather than a set ticket. The larger A Shepherd's Life day, with shearing, wool crafts and a fireside lunch, is built mainly for tour operators and coach groups, though bespoke bookings are sometimes possible. Message or ring the farm to check what's available on your date and what it includes.
Tea & traditional food by a turf firePanoramic Sperrin viewsSmall groups, up to tenParking on siteWorking farm — not a walk-in
Worth knowing:
Because this is a booked, hosted experience on a working farm rather than a general attraction, times, prices and exactly what's on offer are arranged with you directly. Always confirm the current details, timings and cost with the farm when you book, and let them know your group size and any access needs.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
👢Wellies or sturdy shoesYou're out on grass on a hillside among the sheep — proper footwear beats good trainers, especially after rain.
🧥A warm coatThe Sperrin foothills catch the breeze and the light changes fast. A rainy hour up here is its own kind of good — the hills go soft and green and the turf fire waits at the end.
📷A camera or phoneThe view over the Sperrins and the dogs sweeping the flock into the pens are the shots you'll want. A hat and water are worth having on a bright day too.
📞Your booking confirmedThere's no drop-in, so have your visit arranged before you leave, and the farm's number saved in case you need it on the road.
Good to know
Everything before you go
What it is
A working, fourth-generation shepherd's farm in the foothills of the Sperrins, offering booked, hosted experiences around the age-old craft of herding sheep with dogs. It is not a play farm or a walk-in petting yard.
What you'll do
The Sheepdogs at Work experience: stand in the field with the shepherd and watch a trained team of collies gather and pen the flock to whistle and word. You can touch the sheep, take in the panorama over the Sperrins, and hear the stories of four generations of hill farming.
The shepherd & dogs
Run by Jamese McCloy, described as a fourth-generation shepherd, with a working team of collies — Moss, Tess and Jess — from a long line of farm dogs.
How long
The Sheepdogs at Work experience runs about 60 minutes. The larger, tour-operator "A Shepherd's Life" experience can run one to four hours with shearing, wool crafts and a fireside lunch.
Group size
Small groups and individuals can book Sheepdogs at Work for up to ten people. Larger group and coach experiences are geared to tour operators; bespoke bookings are sometimes possible.
Cost
Rates are quoted on request rather than as a fixed ticket. Sheepdogs at Work is run as a private tour, so a minimum charge applies. Confirm the current rate and what's included when you book.
Booking
Pre-booking only — everything is by arrangement. Book through glenshanecountryfarm.com or by phone. There is no walk-in.
Food
Tea, traditional food and a warm by a turf fire are part of the welcome on the hosted experiences. Check exactly what's included for your visit when you book.
Ages
Suits all ages — a gentle, real, hands-close hour that works for families as much as adult groups. Because it's out on a working hillside, keep little ones close to the shepherd's lead.
Getting around
The experience is out on grass on a Sperrin hillside, so the ground is uneven and can be soft after rain. If anyone in your group has access needs, mention it when booking so the farm can advise.
Parking
Parking is available on site at the farm.
Questions
Before you go
Can I just turn up?
No — everything at Glenshane Country Farm is pre-booked. It's a working farm, and the visit is arranged with you beforehand, so book through glenshanecountryfarm.com or ring the farm before you travel. There's no walk-in gate.
What actually happens on the experience?
On the Sheepdogs at Work experience you stand in the field with the shepherd and watch his trained collies work the flock — gathering the sheep, moving them through the gates and penning them, all directed by whistle and word. You can touch the sheep and take in the long Sperrin view, with tea and a warm by the turf fire part of the welcome.
How much is it?
Rates are quoted on request rather than as a set ticket, and Sheepdogs at Work runs as a private tour with a minimum charge. Ask for the current price and what's included when you book.
Is it good for children?
It suits all ages — it's real, gentle and hands-close, and children tend to be captivated watching the dogs read the whistles. Just keep younger ones close, as it's out on a working hillside.
How long does it take?
The Sheepdogs at Work experience is around an hour. The bigger "A Shepherd's Life" day — mainly for tour groups — can run one to four hours with shearing, wool crafts and a fireside lunch.
Is there food?
Tea, traditional food and a warm by a turf fire are part of the hosted experiences. Confirm exactly what's included for your booking when you arrange it.
Getting there
5 Lisnamuck Hill, Maghera, Co. Londonderry, BT46 5LB — up in the foothills of the Sperrins outside Maghera, with parking on site. Because it's a booked, hosted visit, arrange your directions and arrival time with the farm when you book.
Glenshane Country Farm sits up in the foothills of the Sperrins outside Maghera, on land the McCloy family have farmed for four generations. It's a real working sheep farm first and a place to visit second — and that's exactly what makes an hour here worth arranging. There's no gift-shop turnstile and no plastic tractor ride. There's a shepherd, a hillside, a flock, and a team of dogs that have been bred and trained to do one thing beautifully.
The heart of it is the sheepdog. Stand in the field and you watch Jamese send Moss, Tess or Jess out wide with a whistle, and the dog drops low and reads the sheep, easing them together and steering them through the gates into the old wooden pens without a hand laid on them. It's quiet, precise work, generations deep, and it's mesmerising up close — the kind of skill that's been passed down these hills for longer than anyone can properly date.
Around the herding there's the rest of the welcome: the long view out over the Sperrins from the farm, the stories of hill farming across four generations, and — the part everyone remembers — tea and traditional food by a turf fire when the field work's done. It's a small, honest, unusual day out: not a big attraction, but a real one, and you leave knowing something you didn't before you came.