Chris on Cattle Herding Holiday, UK

There was a great atmosphere and it felt like a really special moment, when the cows came out of their winter housing, the first time since the autumn. We started to herd them over the tracks, across the dam and out onto the open moor. Mostly the cows know where they are going but there is a certain amount of sending people on ahead to do gates and getting them to go the right way, plus keeping them together on the moor. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It took a good few of hours to get them across to their grazing area, having navigated some bogs and rocky areas along the way.

We had started off in beautiful sunshine but by the time we left the cows it was very wet so we trotted on and then power walked home as it got increasingly miserable (and we cursed ourselves for not following Phil’s recommendation for full waterproofs).

Back at the farm, the horses were stabled and we went in to warm up, get dry and enjoy a fabulous, leisurely late lunch of home made pies and cakes. A better morning I haven’t had, despite the weather and one I shall repeat again – looking to see if I can get away for the week to bring them back down for the Autumn!