Wildlife along the way

Much of our blog has been about greenery, architecture and food - what a wonderful combination! But it's timely now to look at the wildlife we have also seen along the way.

Firstly in Cumbria - this is an area of wild natural beauty, open moorlands and steep craggy hills, verging on mountains (although I'm not sure when a hill turns into a mountain). Herdwick sheep are everywhere and the ewes have all been shorn.

Then we were lucky enough to see a selection of Welsh sheep, some rare breeds and a Welsh Black cow, all roaming freely on the heathlands.

 

Adult Herdwick ewe

 

Chubby not-so-little Herdwick lamb

 



 

 

Wisely these two Herdwick ewes were sheltering out of the wet and windy weather - we kept on walking!

 



 

Swaledale (Yorkshire) sheep - used for meat and wool

 

 

 

Brecknock Hill Cheviot sheep which originated in the Cheviot Hills around 1372, used for wool (tweeds) and meat, thriving in wild and blustery heathlands.

 

 

Rare breed - Balwen Welsh Mountain sheep used for wool and meat

 

 

Welsh Black cow (I think, the flowers hid the important bits!). Wales' only native cattle used for meat and milk and extremely hardy. This one was up on the heathland in mid Wales.

 

 

We saw little wildlife like badgers and hedgehogs except as roadkill, but I did see a green snake (non-venomous) near our campsite in Cynwyd, Wales.