Barn Owl Ringing

One of our Peak District Holidays group members has spent several years working with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Barn Owl Group, encouraging barn owls to settle at their farm in the Upper Dove. Elspeth sent this fabulous photo for the blog.

"Although we had seen an owl flying in the late evening through most of last Summer and Autumn, during the bitter cold and snow of the winter we saw not a trace of this pale golden bird. How could it have survived the winter?

But great news - the Barn owl group came in late Spring to check the boxes and found four well grown chicks. They came back later and ringed the birds and we had the privilege of getting close up to these beautiful chicks whose pretty heart shaped faces belies their fearsome talons".

Quite a few of our Peak District Farms who offer accommodation have Barn Owls and a wide range of wildlife. If you are a keen bird watcher why not stay with us in the countryside, bring your binoculars and see for yourself?

Prize Winners!

We are delighted to announce the two winners of the Peak District Farm Holidays July prize draw who will receive theatre vouchers for Buxton Opera House:

Mrs Dickinson from Matlock and Mrs Collins from Lutterworth

Our winners will be able to choose from a selection of performances - we hope they have an enjoyable evening and would like to thank the Buxton Opera House for their support in our promotion - for performance details see www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

If you would like to enter our November prize draw download our new brochure and complete an entry form or telephone Felicity on 01629 540262 to request a hard copy in the post.

New Peak District Farm Holidays Brochure

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new Peak District Farm Holidays brochure created in conjunction with the Peak District Food Group. The new brochure provides a wealth of information, not just on places to stay, but also on places to eat, and where to buy delcious local and specialist foods.

All this with an area map showing visitor attractions and local businesses - an invaluable guide both before and during your stay in the Peak Distrct. You can either download a copy from our website or contact Felicity on 01629 540262 to request a hard copy by post.

Helpful tips to stay safe when walking through fields of cattle.

It is the time of year when young calves and their mothers are let out into the fields across the Peak District. As farmers we want you to come and enjoy the countryside and the best way of seeing it is to take a walk. Sadly several people every year in the UK are injured by cattle when out walking in the countryside and the majority of cases involve people with dogs. There were several high profile cases last year including the MP David Blunkett. Cows with calves are very protective and can be much more dangerous than Bulls.

Here are some basic safety rules to follow if you come accross any cattle which will hopefully prevent any accidents happening.

1. Always keep your dog on a short lead.
2. When entering a field of cattle always have a quick look to see where the nearest possible escape routes such as gateways, stiles or low walls are.
3. Be prepared for cattle to react to your presence.
4. Never get inbetween cows and their calves.
5. If the cattle are standing around the footpath it is always more sensible to leave the footpath and walk a safe distance around them. As farmers we are much more concerned for your safety than where the footpath is drawn on the map!
6. Look for signs of the cattle becoming agitated such as them running around, vigorous head shaking, loud snorting and pawing at the ground.
7. If the cattle come over to you the first thing to do is stay calm, 99 percent of the time they probably just want to take a look at you.

If you feel threatened by the cattle and think they pose a danger you should:

1. Calmly walk away from them towards the nearest exit point from the field, regardless of where the footpath goes.
2. If you have a dog you should remove it from the lead, hopefully the cattle will ignore you and only be interested in the dog allowing you to get to safety.
3. Never try to protect your dog from cattle, it can run much faster than you, so will be able to look after itself.
4. If your dog is being chased by cattle and comes to you for safety you must try and scare it away.
5. As a last resort if you feel you are about to be attacked by cattle you should face them, don't try to run away as they are much faster than you. Make as much noise as possible and wave your arms in the air. If you have a rucksack or walking stick use these to defend yourself and call for help.

For some more general information about the importance of keeping dogs under control there is some good advice from the Peak District National Park.

Signs of Spring

This morning woken by the sound of the Thrush singing in the Ash and then shafts of sunlight pouring over Dove bank. Later, taking the dog with me down the fields she flushes out a pheasant that manages a vertical take off -

a lucky escape!

The green woodpecker is hammering at a dead oak lower down the valley, great tits are singing by the Alder on the river bank. Clusters of sparkling snowdrops fringe the edge of the pond and a solitary cry of a lamb for its mother, add to the thought that at last Spring must nearly be here.

With Spring comes newborn lambs - a fabulous time of year to visit our varied working farms and experience the countryside coming back to life after the cold snowy winter - check out our availability now - from fabulous farmhouse bed and breakfast to cosy country self catering cottages there is something for everyone

Royal Shrovetide Football

Can you imagine leaping into an icy cold river on a winter's day? Well that is exactly what most young men in Ashbourne have been doing today! There are many strange traditions in the Peak District, but perhaps one of the most unusual is the Royal Shrovetide Football played through the streets of Ashbourne on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.

The game was first recorded as long ago as 1682; by 1928 it had become so respectable that the Prince of Wales threw up the ball. There are two teams, "Up'ards" people born North of the River Henmore, and "Down'ards" born to the South. The ball, slightly larger than a traditional football is thrown up on Shaw Croft car park in the middle of the town at 2pm and the teams strive to get it to opposite sides of the town to the two goals which are 3 miles apart. The ball can be kicked, carried, or thrown, but generally passes along in a "hug", invisible to the spectator. An experience not for the faint hearted, but certainly a spectacle worth seeing!

To experience more of our unusual Derbyshire traditions why not come and stay with us on a farm in May and June when many of our picturesque villages display beautiful, colourful well dressings.

Peak District in the snow

Its snowing here in the Peak District today, and although it's causing a few difficulties on the roads, we know that by tomorrow it will be all OK (hopefully). We never seem to get snow like we used to; as a child I remember my father and mother battling to get the milk out to the lorry, sometimes for weeks at a time. Heaving heavy churns full of milk down the road and spending hours a day transporting water back from the local ford for the animals. My mother often tells how in 1947 she was unable to get home for over 5 weeks, and how in 1958 when my sister was born it took a whole gang of men to get the midwife to the isolated farm where she had decided to give birth whist visiting her mother!

I'm glad we don't get snow like that any more, it must have been really hard, but it can be great fun if you are not trying to work in it. So get out that sledge and have some fun while the snow lasts!! You can also burn off those extra Christmas calories at the same time - visit us here in the Peak District - browse through our website there are some excellent January offers for our wonderful cosy farmhouse accommodation.

Happy New Year !