Swa'dle tups

Sorry lapsing into my native tongue again.    I should say Swaledale Rams.

Yesterday I had to go to the health center for my annual "12,000 mile service".   It would seem I am still alive and unless something unforeseen crops up in bloods and urine samples I am healthy.  I was somewhat surprised at the number of cars in the car park.  As I drove there I thought at least the parking will be easy there won't be many there.  Wrong!  There were as many if not more than usual.

Having had to  drive into town I decided to return by the quiet roads and look for a blip while doing it.  Driving down the gill I saw this flock of fine fellows.  This a bout 1/3 of the flock and is quite unusual, as the normal ratio of male to female for breeding is 1:40.  So either the owner has a multitude of "yows" (ewes) or he specialises in breeding tups.

The hedge, if it can be called a hedge, is a classic example of what happens if they aren't treated properly.  I dislike the modern trend to trimming hedges particularly by flail.  For wildlife they need to be allowed to become large and bushy.  Then on rotation they need to be "ligged and felled".   For the uninitiated about once every 10 years or so you trim the hedge into main stems, cut partially through them and lay them flat.   Well in Cumbria you lay them flat in other areas there are different styles.  New shoots then sprout from along the stem and grow upwards.