Grazing explained - it's as easy as A, B, C

 The unmistakable white belt on a Belted Galloway (Picture: David Ellis, NT Volunteer)

One of the most popular questions people ask me at Coombe Hill is "Why do you graze the Hill?" and today was no exception. I was fixing a gate by the main entrance and more or less everyone that came passed me asked the grazing question. So, my brain got thinking about an easy way of explaining it and I came up with the 3 main issues and to make it easy, they just so happen to begin with A, B and C.

A - Animals (I told you this was simple!)

All kinds of animals are used to graze land these days, horses, sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, chickens, even lamas! Over the past 20 years at Coombe Hill, we have tried a number of different options. Traditionally it has always been sheep but with the Hill getting more and more use from dog walkers this was becoming a real issue. We use to lose up to 5 sheep per year due to dog attacks, they were extremely difficult to round up at the end of summer and they were not eating as much as we needed them too. We then tried Dartmoor Ponies and these were great to start but they became a bit too friendly with visitors and started getting a bit pushy when it came to picnics so we turned to cattle. The breed we have used for the past few years is the Belted Galloway and they have done a fantastic job. Originating from Galloway in the west side of southern Scotland, they are adapted perfectly for poor upland pasture in really exposed terrain. A summer on Coombe Hill for them is like us going on holiday to Spain. This year, due to a change in grazing contractors , we are trying out a new breed, the Pedigree Beef Shorthorn. The breed has developed over the past few centuries from Teeswater and Durham cattle originally found in the north east of England. To find our more about the breed then please visit http://www.beefshorthorn.org/ 

It is the first time this breed has been used for conservation grazing on Coombe Hill so we shall track there progress closely over the new few months and report back at the end of the season (around August/September time).

 The Dartmoor Pony experiment (Picture Matt Shrimpton, NT Ranger)

B - Behaviour

Knowing how to behave around the cattle is key, and the first and best bit of advice we always give out is to keep your distance and ignore them. We understand that people like to get a closer look but this can be done from a distance. If you have a dog, keep it under close control and do not let it get near the cattle. If your dog is on a lead and the cattle approach you then let your dog off the lead, chances are they are only coming over to have a look so as soon as the dog moves away from you, so will the cattle. Don't worry, if your dog is fit and healthy then it will out run a cow with ease. If you really feel threatened by them then make your self big, flap your arms and make a loud silly noise and they will soon move on. Obviously we can not guarantee you will never have an incident with the cattle at Coombe Hill but cases are extremely rare and are normally always down to human error. Keep your distance and that situation should never happen.

C - Conservation

Conservation is the whole reason why we graze Coombe Hill and it is by far the most important tool we have to hand. Chalk Grassland is the most diverse habitat we have in the country, it is also one of the rarest and has been declining in size for the last 50 years. The thin, lime-rich soils derived from the underlying chalk attract plants that don't grow in other soils. To maintain the habitat, we need to keep the grassland cut so it does not scrub over and turn back into woodland. If the grass is left to rot down then it will enrich the soil which is bad news for all the species that thrive on the nutrient poor soils. So, the only option we have is to graze. The cattle eat the grass and small scrub and then they take it away with them, perfect. It is the most efficient, economic and practical way to maintain chalk grassland.

The Belted Galloways happily grazing the west slope with the Aylesbury in the distance

(Picture Joe Mayled, NT Ranger)

I hope this has helped to explain why we graze Coombe Hill. Next time you are out on a walk, just remember A, B and C and it might make you see the landscape around you in a different light. You may enjoy the walk more and not worry so much about the animals.

Events 2013

(Image: Cadburys)

Since the last blog post on winter work, we have been busy running and planning our events for 2013. Easter weekend has just passed us and what a strange one it was, could we really have a Cadburys Easter Egg Trail in the snow? Yes...so we did. Every year, Cadburys very kindly sponsor the National Trust to put on Easter Egg Trails all over the country. For the 3rd time in a row we had ours at Coombe Hill. Plan A was to use the existing Natural Play Trail but thanks to the snow fall a week before hand we had to revert to plan B, make a new one. 

 Navigating the tricky tyre section (Picture: Hazel Clarke)

So, with only a few hours to spare, we pulled together all the cones, tyres, and logs we could get our hands on and rigged up a temporary obstacle course next to the original Play Trail. We powered up the urn to churn out teas and coffees whilst visitors to the hill navigated the obstacle course with egg and spoon in hand.

 Gladys, one of our fantastic Volunteers, getting ready to dish out the Tea and Coffee (Picture: Hazel Clarke)

 Another of our star Volunteers, Hazel, armed with eggs and spoons at the start of the trail (Picture: Robert Lewis)

We sold just over 200 trails which considering the weather was fantastic and our best year yet. To keep things fresh we invested in some Slacklines. If you have never seen it done before then check out http://www.maverickslacklines.co.uk and watch the videos. It proved very popular with all ages so look out for them making more appearances as the year goes on.

 A helping hand from Mum makes the slackline much easier (Picture: Robert Leiws)

As well as running events, we have also been busy planning them. On the 22nd September we are putting on for the very first time a 10k trail race called the Bradenham Bolt. 

 (Image: Alex Tarling NT)

The route will consist of mud, obstacles, hills and thrills through the stunning Bradenham Estate. It is an event that we are extremely excited about and a lot of hard work is going on behind the scenes to making it happen. Check out http://www.ntbradenhambolt.org.uk/ for more details and book quick as we only have space for 350 runners! We will have plenty going on for the spectators too so bring along the family and friends for a great day out.

For other events going on throughout the year including a fantastic opportunity to learn some bush craft skills on Fathers day then visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/things-to-see-and-do/events/ for more details.

Winter Work

Happy New Year to all. This is our first story of 2013 so we thought we would fill you in on some of the work we have been up to. January is flying past as quickly as ever so we have been busy trying to get some scrub clearance done before the nesting season for birds starts. There has been the routine tasks of tree safety work along with everything the snow brings, firewood deliveries, snow clearance and ensuring livestock have running water to drink. Keep reading to find out more...

The most exciting project of January was some large scale scrub removal on Watlington Hill, Oxfordshire. Watlington Hill is 115 acres of mixed scrub and chalk grassland with a white chalk mark carved into the NW slope. It has some of the best chalk grassland around and the point of the scrub removal was to increase this rare habitat.

Getting stuck in (Picture: Joe Mayled)

This 16 tonne machine looks big, but it has a great spread of weight thanks to its tracks so you can hardly tell where it has been.

Burning up (Picture: Joe Mayled)

The scrub (Hawthorn, Privet) was pulled out whole, including the roots, so there will be very little re-growth and even better, we don't need to use chemicals to kill off the stumps. The scrub is then burnt up on a fire only located on an area with bare ground so very little damage is done.

Working on slopes (Picture: Joe Mayled)

This really is the most effective way of removing the unwanted scrub. The slopes make it tricky to work on but this 360 excavator makes it look easy, and safe.

Compartment 1, cleared. (Picture: Joe Mayled)

After 2 days, the first compartment was complete. All the roots have been raked out, leaving fresh, unspoilt soil. It may look extreme at first, but it will only take a couple of months for things to start growing again. We are not intending to remove all the scrub as it is a valuable habitat  in itself, but we have too much of it on areas where rich chalk grassland used to thrive. We will keep a close eye on what does come back and keep you posted.

Tree safety work crops up throughout the year. This incident happened at Hughenden, a big Ash tree had tipped over, next to one of the busiest paths on the estate. Steve, Hughenden Estate Ranger was joined by Joe, Assistant Ranger from Chilterns Countryside and Hazel Clarke, Volunteer, to make the path safe again.

Steve, left. Joe, right. (Picture: Hazel Clarke)

Cutting a way through (Picture: Hazel Clarke)

Once the tree had been cut through, we attached a winch and pulled it away from the path. It fell down as planned and the path was safe once more. If you ever see a a dangerous tree like this on National Trust land then do get in touch, contact Hughenden Estate office on 01494 755573.

 Icicles (Picture: Joe Mayled)

Winter finally started to live up to its name with the first serious snow fall of the season. It does restrict what what we can do but it provides us with a variety of other jobs. Clearing snow from drives, paths and car parks along with plenty of office work and workshop maintenance to catch up on. It's not a bad time to whip up a blog story either!!

Coombe Hill (Picture: Joe Mayled)

Coombe Hill always holds onto the snow longer than most areas. Being the heightest viewpoint in the Chilterns, it makes a fantastic winter walk, just remember to wrap up warm and get some boots on with a decent grip.

Picnic area (Picture: Joe Mayled)

You might want to hold off on the picnic!

 Thirsty Belted Galloways (Picture: Matt Shrimpton)

And finally, our fluffy friends the Belted Galloways, need a helping hand. These cattle are are designed for this kind of weather. Originally from Galloway, the west side of southern Scotland, they have been bred for this kind of environment. Luckily for them, a life in the Chilterns is generally much kinder to them then a life on the mountains in rural Scotland. They are the perfect conservation grazer but even they can't drink frozen water. We have to smash the ice on the water troughs every day to ensure they have access to fresh water.

 Curious Belted Galloways (Picture: Matt Shrimpton)

Thanks for reading folks, keep checking back for more stories throughout the year.

The Twilight Zone

As part of the Great British Walking Festival, West Wycombe Hill turned into the Twilight Zone for one spooky night...

 Plenty of carved pumpkins dotted the hill side. (Picture: Hazel Clarke)

On 30th October we took a group of 30 grown ups and children for a walk around West Wycombe Hill. Billed as a twilight walk in search of bats and other creatures of the night, the clouds cleared and the setting sun shone and no creatures were to be found anywhere! Never-the-less the intrepid bunch had a pleasant walk entertained by occasional bat facts from Ranger Len.

Some say a blurry picture, we say spooky, atmospheric picture of the wicked witch!

(Picture: Len Bernamont)

Eventually the sun dipped below the horizon as we made our way through the churchyard of St Lawrence’s before being met by Ranger Matt who informed the group that a low flying witch had just landed on the hill top next to the Dashwood Mausoleum. Creepy tales were told by Witch Hazel as the full moon rose (really it did), and marshmallows were toasted on the fires (magicked into flame by the witch – possibly).

The wicked witch, turns out not that wicked after all. (Picture: Hazel Clarke)

The final part of the walk was a torch-lit parade to the Hellfire Caves where the group were given a spooky tour of the caves. In the end the walk lived up to its billing as we found bats flying around in the caves…success, and a good time was had by all.

Bradenham Apple Day 2012

The possibility of rain didn’t deter over 200 people from visiting the orchard at Bradenham Manor for our Apple Day. Despite the lack of apples from the orchard itself (the few trees that did get pollinated this spring where picked clean by the squirrels earlier in the year) we put on a good show of our produce from previous orchard harvests.

 Activites for all at the Bradenham Apple Day (Photo: Robert Lewis)

Visitors were able to taste and buy our apple juice made from pressings of a variety of apples exclusively from the orchard; if you hurry there are still some bottles left to purchase from the shop at Hughenden. 

 Bradenham Apple Juice (Photo: Len Bernamont)

We were also trialling our cider made last year from a blend of our own apples and cider apples from Somerset. Our cider making is still very much in the research & development stage and much more ‘testing’ will be done to make sure we end up with a great tasting cider which people will want to buy. Having said that, our first attempt was quite acceptable (or so we’re told)!

 A fine selection of apples (Photo: Robert Lewis)

Another great feature of Apple Day was the unveiling of our new cider press, built by a local joinery company using a design adapted by our very own cider volunteer, Paul Lacey. After some tweaking of ‘cheese’ sizes and other technical things the apple juice was simply cascading over the racks like a chocolate (or rather apple juice) fountain. Everyone could have a taste of the fresh juice and all the surplus is now going to make our next batch of cider.

 The new cider press in action (Photo: Paul Lacey)

A short video of the cider press in action

Follow our progress on this year’s cider making via our blog

Walking in the Chilterns

The Chilterns has to be one of the most popular and well used areas in the country for walking. We are lucky enough to have miles of footpaths for all abilities including the famous Chilterns Ridgeway.

As part of the National Trusts Great British Walking Festival which will be running untill November 4th, we shall be putting on a series of walks to celebrate everything thats great about pounding the paths of the Chilterns.

                                                  The start of the Chequers Circuit 2011

This year you can find out about historical features of Bradenhams ancient woodland, the royal secrets of Aston Wood, Fungal Forays, Bat walks and a chance to do a circuit around Chequers. For more information, check out the website

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/activities/walking/walking-festival/ and type 'Chilterns Countryside' into the search box. Then look for the 'e' icon, just below Aylesbury, click on that and all will be revealed. The best thing is...they are all FREE!

 A well deserved drink after the Chequers Circuit 2011

Another great starting point to pick up some fantastic walks in the Chilterns is The Bucks Freedom Press blog by Morag. Many of the routes cross National Trust land so be sure to look out for the Rangers on your way and come and say hello. Below is a short introduction to how the blog came about...

I bought my first Chiltern Society footpath map back over 25 years ago and have worn out several pairs of walking boots but still keep finding new routes to enjoy. We are so lucky to live in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with over 2,000 miles of footpaths to explore including several long-distance paths such as The Chiltern Way, The Icknield Way and The Ridgeway.

'E is for Ellesborough' Chequers with Coombe Hill in the background (Picture: Morag, BFP)

I started writing my A - Z of Bucks walks and illustrating them with snapshots because I want to encourage everyone to get outside and see what is around them. If they can't do that, then at least they can enjoy them online! So often we rush past in a car and see the lovely views but don’t have the time to appreciate the beauty hidden away in our hedgerows, meadows and woodlands.

The walks so far :

Amersham http://bucksfreedompress.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/celebrating-bucks.html

Bradenham http://www.bucksfreedompress.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/z-of-walks-in-bucks.html

Cadmore End http://bucksfreedompress.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/z-walks-in-bucks-c.html (includes Fingest, Turville and Ibstone)

Downley http://bucksfreedom.weebly.com/a-z-d-is-for-downley.html (includes Hughenden)

Ellesborough http://bucksfreedom.weebly.com/a-z-e-is-for-ellesborough.html (includes Coombe Hill and Pulpit Hill)

Thanks to Morag and the Bucks Freedom Press blog for this and we look forward to more walks coming soon, I hear 'F' is in the making.

West Wycombe wild food walk

Another great story from Louise Brown about a wild food walk that was held on West Wycombe Hill . I hope you all enjoy the write up, Thanks Louise.

A couple of weeks ago we went on a wild food walk on West Wycombe hill, organised and led by National Trust ranger Len Bernamont. We went on Len's wild flower walk in June and this was a really nice follow up, helping us to understand more about the environment we live in.

The walk was very well attended, one person we spoke to had come over from London. I have to admit to feeling quite smug at the knowledge we'd be able to come back to the hill after the walk to (responsibly) pick more of whatever we found.

There are some pretty substantial wild foods on the hill (crab apples and brambles for example) but the focus of this walk was more on wild herbs and other treats.

We hadn't walked very far up the hollow way (pretty much opposite the garden centre) before seeing some wild basil and wild thyme. Both looked a little like what you expect to see in the shops but with small pink flowers. Once spotted you start to see them everywhere.

                                         Wild basil

To complete the culinary set we also found some wild marjoram (or oregano). All of these herbs can be used in cooking just like their shop-bought versions.

                                     Wild marjoram

A little further up the hollow way we found some brambles that had seen better days, some elderberries (the berries can be toxic if eaten raw in large quantities so be sure to rinse and cook them first) and wild clematis branches climbing up another tree, very good for making 'ropes' apparently.

                                      Elderberries

                                          Clematis

Back onto the front of the hill we found some salad burnet. As the name suggests it can be eaten as a salad leaf and has a light cucumber taste.

                                     Salad burnet

Lady's bedstraw got its name from being used as a packing material for mattresses, one reason being that it acts as a flea killer.

                                  Lady's bedstraw

Something I wasn't expecting to find on the hill was wild parsnip and wild carrot. They're not the varieties you find in the shop – those have been crossbred over many years to become the plump veggies we get with our Sunday roast – but instead were very long and thin... not enough to fill even the smallest stomach!

Wild parsnip (It's hard to tell the difference between the Wild parsnip and Len's hair!)

                                        Wild carrot

One of the last plants we looked at was ribbed plantain. You might have been taught that the cure for being stung by nettles is rubbing on a dock leaf but apparently that doesn't work. What you really want is ribbed plantain which has proven antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

                                    Ribbed plantain

Up at the top of the hill, next to the mausoleum there's a little surprise.... water mint. You wouldn't expect to find water mint on the top of a hill of all places but it turns out that it's the result of the Dashwoods dredging the lake in West Wycombe Park at some point and putting the waste earth on the top of the hill. Luckily the water mint seems to be surviving just fine.

                                       Water mint

We strongly advise that you only nibble at plants you are absolutely sure are safe. Many wild plants are very  poisonous and are not suitable for human or animal consumption.