Why do sheep tracks take such roundabout routes instead of going straight up hills?

Sheep avoid steep gradients because climbing directly is hard work when you've got four legs and a heavy wool coat. They prefer gentle, longer routes that contour around hillsides, even if it adds extra distance, because they're optimising for minimum effort over an entire grazing season rather than speed.

When is it actually helpful to follow a sheep track when hiking?

Sheep tracks are brilliant when you're traversing a hillside at roughly the same altitude—they've found the firmest ground and avoided hidden bogs. They're also useful when they're climbing directly up a spur toward a col or ridge, or when they overlap with established footpaths where human and sheep routes coincide.

How can I tell if a sheep track is worth following before I commit to it?

Look at where it's headed and whether it's climbing, descending, or just meandering. Tracks climbing a spur with purpose are often useful, while ones that meander dreamily along hillsides tend to lead nowhere you want to go. If you can't see where it leads, treat it with suspicion.

staying-on-track

What Sheep Tracks Know That You Don't

Sheep have strong opinions about gradients and they've worn their preferences into the hillside over decades. Their paths look tempting but they're optimised for quadrupeds with different destinations, and following them usually adds twenty minutes you didn't budget for.

20 July 20268 min read