The lockdowns have seen unprecedented numbers visiting the Hills & Hollows in recent months. This has been a trying time for locals with increased traffic, antisocial parking, littering, dog fowling that’s left or indeed bagged up and hung on a gate or a tree as the bin is 20 metres too far to walk.

That said this grazing period has seen the fewest incidents in recent years, in regards to sheep worrying and attacks. We’ve had no sheep injured or killed and relatively few incidents of dogs in the compartment with the sheep. As our team have been restricted with the amount of time they have been able to spend on the sites, we must offer you all a big heart felt THANK YOU for supporting us and our flock on the hollows. Thanks for avoiding the compartment with your dog, thanks for reporting incidents and infrastructure issues, thanks for approaching others and explaining that the compartment is off limits, thanks for those that picked up litter and thanks to those that take away and bin other people’s dog mess.

The sheep will shortly be moving to Castor Hanglands to carry out some summer grazing there. Following a recent unfavourable condition assessment, that highlighted increased grass and small scrub encroachment, it has been decided to summer graze the two worst affected compartments (the two running parallel to Walcot Road). This with entail either a small number of the flock remaining all summer or the flock returning early.

Please look for news of this in the Parish News and the reserves notice boards. A hard summer graze every five years or more (site and condition dependent) is proven to really enhance the rare flora, by grazing down tussocky grass and scrub in its growing season. As the rare and notified wild flowers and orchids are perennial, the one off summer graze will not affect them. Thanks again for your continued support from all the team.

For any queries or questions please contact the Reserve Manager, tim.sutton@naturalengland.org.uk