A day in the life of a ghillie

David Fleetwood looks at the role of a ghillie on a traditional Highland estate.

The day starts early for a Highland ghillie. To get everything done, it is vital to take advantage of every single shred of daylight, including dawn. As the dawn chorus begins, the ghillie is pushing through clinging heather and hopping over wet peaty holes following his beat, and managing the estate and its herd.

Today, the ghillie is a gamekeeper's younger helper, but their connection with the sporting activities of a Highland estate was not always this distinct. Prior to the 16th century, the word referred to the chief attendant of a clan chief, an important and prestigious position. The ghillie was to have a fall from grace during the next few hundred years, and by the 17th century some Highland chiefs had a ‘gilhie-wetfoot' in their retinue, whose duty it was to carry his master across rivers and burns. This became a term of abuse amongst Lowlanders for anyone in attendance to a Highland chief. Since the Victorians discovered their passion for stalking, the life of the ghillie has had less to do with carrying Highland chiefs across raging torrents and more to do with the management of the landscape and looking after stalkers on the hill.

An early start in the dark would not have been unfamiliar to a Victorian ghillie, who would have to check on the position and condition of the herd just like today.

The ghillie's year follows the seasons, with stalking between July and January. Outside the season, the ghillie is responsible for the management of the animals and the ...

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• By : David Fleetwood
• In : Interview
• Issue : 37
• Page : 58
• Words : 1,143