Walking with Sheep: Wool March from Texel to Brussels, 2026

When I got up this morning, I noticed pieces of golden straw still sticking to my woolen  sweater. They feel precious. A reminder of yesterday’s magic. I attended the start of the Wool March. 

The Wool March is the brainchild of Cynthia Hathaway. She has taken it upon herself to raise awareness for the age-old vocation of shepherding and the fact that it is increasingly under threat. This past summer has been especially difficult because of the heat and drought. Where can the sheep graze and  drink when the land is so dry? There is also the matter of the price of wool. Not only do the shepherds face the cost of shearing, they now all too often face the additional cost of disposing of their wool. The bottom has fallen out of the market for local wool, while we import merino wool from Australia and the insidious fashion market pushes synthetics to replace all wool. Then there are the matters of changing habitats and the re-introduction of the wolf. Adaptation requires knowledge and awareness and it takes time. This comes with a price tag. Experimentation, learning through discussions with colleagues in other countries, new government policies and regulations.... Cynthia is giving the process a huge boost with her brilliantly-conceived ‘Wool March’. From Texel to Brussels, shepherds and their sheep will walk, relay-style, around 400 km, each shepherd passing the crook on to the next. Shepherds from Germany, Spain and Belgium will join in. Everybody can become part of the march and attend the public events en route, learning while walking, getting inspired, and each of us in our own way doing what we can to help the cause.

This project is entirely people-powered and fully crowd-funded. In addition to donating money, those interested could/still can felt a blanket for the event by purchasing a ‘wool kit’ and carefully following the instructions. I did both. For the former, I received a woolly armband, and for the latter, I gained new friends, entered into an unexpectedly very vertical learning curve, and had lots of fun. The challenges were the best part. I learned about, and relied on, the wool and felting communities in The Netherlands and deepened friendships. The project inspired me more and more. There is something magically transformative about working with wool and learning its characteristics. 

I couldn't stop myself from acquiring two more fleeces and formulating lots of good intentions. I have emerged with new respect for sheep, the knowledge of our ancestors and wool artists. I was infected initially when I heard Cynthia tell a Fibershed.nl audience about the project and I felt compelled to join what Cynthia calls the 'two-legged flock’ that traipses behind the sheep. 

Yesterday marked the beginning of the walk. It was a gorgeous day. We gathered at a little sheep barn on Texel Island, 

which felt artist Ericka Voortman had filled with a divine display of woolen cradles.

A glorious example of Ericka Voortman's cradles

 Shepherd, sheep, and wool communities greeted us  visitors. We sat on bales of straw to listen to their stories. We learned much, including that the shepherd and the national forestry service  choose grazing sites collaboratively in order to obtain maximum benefit from the eating habits of the sheep. In The Netherlands, we often say that God made the world but the Dutch made Holland. The truth is that the Dutch couldn't have done it without sheep.  Maintaining the Dutch heath is but one example of the role they play. 

After the talks, we stood up, donned the blankets that had been felted for the occasion by people from all over the world,

We displayed the blankets on the fence, first, then wore the one of our choice. When the 
herd dogs arrived, they were as excited as we were to join the march.

 and we marched. It was an enriching, very social march. We met fellow enthousiasts and shared thoughts and insights. This was exactly Cynthia's plan. It felt like a great honour to be part of this historic troupe. A deep bow to Cynthia’s vision and to all who help her bring it to fruition: walking the talk of regeneration.

Thanks to Stijntje Jaspers of Fibershed Netherlands for this photograph of me stepping 
out onto a parched field.

The sheep led us to the ferry and then the first day was over.  I crossed to the mainland and took the train back home. The sheep went back to their home, as well. But the walk will continue all the way to Brussels. Another tiny felted flag will be attached to the shepherd’s crook each time it passes into the hands of the next shepherd. 

The first shepherd holding the crook

I intend to march again on other days, whenever I can, and wild horses won't be able to keep me away when the march enters Brussels and the central corridors of EU power. Policy advice will be handed over. Hopefully the recipients of that advice will shepherd us into a better future for sheep and wool,  climate and land use. 

Sheep have shaped the landscapes of Europe for centuries, and now hopefully they will also shape European policy.

Scroll down and see the valuable qualities of wool here.