Minchinhampton Common cows

Woodpeckers has spent another day of her holiday working on another job. It was only for two days, and I offered to pick her up after work when she had finished today. I drove there 'over the top' which means going up and over Minchinhampton Common which lies on a ridge between here and Nailsworth where her clinic is. When I reached the main cross roads called Tom Long's Post, which marks the crossing point of very ancient trackways, I spotted that the cows were all assembled nearby on the golf course.

So I suggested to Helena that we stop to let me take a picture, which she was happy to do. It is a very airy spot with the open grassland spreading to the horizons but criss crossed by cars climbing up and over the common like spokes on a wheel. I parked a little way away and walked up towards Tom Long's Post where there were still cattle hanging about, some seated others grazing and a few on the move.

On the common, cows have right of way, even on the golf course. When they decide to cross the road drivers hope that they have a sense of purpose, because often they just decide to stand in the middle of the road and traffic jams result. This cow just headed across to the other side, and the woman in the Volvo pulled up as normal. then the cow decided that the bonnet was just at the right height to enable it to have a good rub. It stood there for a short while just raising its head and neck up and down against the headlight and bonnet. I was pleased to see that the driver was as amused as I was.