Fiona the sheep, once known as 'Britain's loneliest sheep', is preparing for the most joyful chapter of her life. After a dramatic rescue from a remote Highland beach and a challenging period of rehabilitation, the ewe is now expecting twin lambs.
From Stranded Exile to Internet Sensation
The remarkable saga began in 2021 when Fiona fell over a coastal cliff near Balintore in Easter Ross. Cut off from her flock, she spent two solitary years on the beach below, surviving and growing noticeably larger. Her plight captured the nation's heart after a kayaker who had first spotted her in 2021 returned two years later to find her still trapped.
A public campaign led by Jill Turner from Brora, Sutherland, gathered momentum, with a petition amassing more than 55,000 signatures. Donations for a rescue mission poured in from across the globe, including Australia, the USA, and Canada, raising four times the initial £2,500 target.
The Epic Cliff Rescue Mission
In an operation described as 'epic', a specialist team mounted a daring rescue in late 2023. Using a winch on a truck, 200 metres of rope, and a feed bag fashioned into a sling, three climbers were lowered 250 metres down the steep cliff face. They found Fiona sheltering in a cave and successfully guided her up the rock. Rescuers were astonished by her size, a result of her long isolation.
She was taken to Dalscone Farm in Dumfriesshire, managed by Ben Best. However, her struggles were not over. Farm staff noticed Fiona found it difficult to socialise with other sheep. "She has kind of forgotten how to be a sheep," Mr Best observed at the time.
A New Beginning: Weight Loss and Motherhood
Fiona's story continued to attract international attention, with the farm's webcam and social media channels receiving over three million hits. Under careful supervision, she embarked on a strict weight-loss programme, slimming down to a healthier 90kg. This also helped alleviate arthritis in her front leg.
To help her conceive, she was given hormones and introduced to a Suffolk ram. The plan succeeded beyond expectations. Ben Best revealed the happy news in a video on the farm's Dalscone Daily Facebook page, stating: "Fiona's having twins. What have we done? We have actually got her in lamb. The pressure is on."
Fiona is now under close veterinary care, including regular blood tests, and is expected to give birth at the beginning of February. From being the world's most famous lonely sheep, Fiona is set to become the heart of a new family, completing an extraordinary journey from desolate exile to hopeful motherhood.
