Wednesday 21 March 2018

Curlews return to Pry House Farm


It is with great relief that I counted 5 curlews on home field today.  
A very low number; it is not unusual to see 40 or 50 at this time of year, all foraging greedily.


I will monitor numbers carefully in the hope that there is a big increase soon.
(curlew photo - Ian Short Photography)
  The oyster catchers and lapwings have been here for a while.
Spring is a wonderful season.
There's always so much to marvel around the farm.  

Saturday 17 March 2018

Dales Discovery Day - 17th March

Today, Saturday 17th March, is Dales Discovery Day #DalesDiscoveries.
 What draws you to the Yorkshire Dales?

 A once in a lifetime opportunity?


The unexpected?


The welcome?

Whatever it is, the flags will be out!.


Monday 12 March 2018

Brochures and Books

Its that time of year when accommodation providers, visitor centres & attractions, the YDNPA, walk leaders etc are getting their literature printed and distributed.  Even in this age of 'all things digital' there's still a place for the paper copy.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park's Visitor magazine and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust's Flower of the Dales brochure are probably the two most popular.  Both have diary sections listing hundreds of things do, places to see, walk to go on etc.  I chose to highlight an article 'Hit the Trail' in the Visitor magazine as this is all about the new family friendly cycle trail from Reeth to Keld (more details to follow in another post soon).  Also a favourite of mine is the Showing You the Way .... series.  Three seperate illustrated children's guided walks, all available from the Keld Countryside & Heritage Centre.  The centre also runs a full and varied events programme for 2018.  Pick up a paper copy at the centre or visit  keld.org.uk


 Jonathan Smith, avid walker, walk leader and writer of walking guides where2walk.co.uk has recently written The Dales 30, a guide to walking 30 mountains with the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  At least a third are easily accessible from Pry House Farm B&B or Shepherd's Hut.

And finally don't forget the new series of walk booklets produced as part of the National Park's project Every Barn Cowus Tells A Story about the cow houses in Muker parish.  We have several sets here at Pry House to borrow and there is a set in Hillcrest Cottage however if you would like your own they can be purchased on the YDNPA website or in their visitor centres at Hawes, Reeth, Bainbridge and Grassington

Wednesday 7 March 2018

When sheep get buried in snow

Due to the recent bad spell of weather there has been a lot on the news about sheep being dug out of snow drifts having been buried for several days. We call it being 'over-blown'.  
We have had no loses in this respect at either Hoggarths or Pry House Farm; partly because of good luck and partly due to good management.  Before the storm hit, the men moved some of our sheep from vunerable places to safety.

  This photo shows how sheep can so easily get over-blown.  The storm raged from the other side of wall so naturally the sheep shelter on the lea-side.  The snow is blown over the wall and gets deeper and deeper, trapping the sheep underneath.  This photo was taken several day after the storm and the drift has already shrunk quite a bit however it is still several feet deep in places.