Last night, at dusk, unusual guests lined the barbed wire fence to welcome us home. A herd of seven Devon Reds had wedged themselves uncomfortably amongst the wild hazel border, seeking shelter from the ferocious northerly winds. Along the track, it's common to catch a fleeting, peripheral glimpse of a deer or rabbit, but the sheer form and presence of these magnificent beasts is breathtaking. The cattle have been introduced as part of the re-naturalisation programme in this AONB. Curious by nature, they push their heads through our boundary hedge in search of pastures new, snapping strands of barbed wire, with ease, in the process. These bovine beauties leave their signature trail of titian hair twisted around the hawthorn, like ribbons flying from a Maypole.
Ideally, the herd would like to cosy down in the woodshed, warm and sheltered from the intemperate conditions, but thankfully this season's timber stacks fill the space. There is only one downside to the presence of our curious friends; the churning effect of their heavy footprints in the waterlogged soil Early primroses, wild daffodils and snowdrops lie imprinted in muddy troughs; well and truly 'pressed!'
