Watch out there’s a goat in the woods

Posted on May 17th, 2015

This is without doubt the time of year when the countryside is at its best. Here on the farm the summer flowers are blooming and the bluebells rife in all the hedgerows. Leaves have a beautiful hew of a new growth and our baby animals grow stronger by the day.  After a week of unseasonably cold and drizzly weather the sun returned and the farm in turn responded as if a light had been switched on.  This all happened last Saturday, during a busy changeover. There were guests to say goodbye to, cleaners to supervise, and eleven properties to check before welcoming new arrivals. I have to say when the sun shines my job is easy and the farm couldn’t look more inviting. Thanks to light traffic on the road everyone was safely into their properties and exploring the grounds by 5pm. I had a yearning to take my big camera out for a walk and enjoy the late afternoon sun myself. Guy hopped on his bike to join me and we set off at a pace all too slow for Guy as I stopped to marvel over all the farm flowers that were bursting into life.

Passing Rocky’s field you can’t fail to be taken by his plaintiff bleating, he still hasn’t accepted he is a goat and always wants to come out for a cuddle. We were only heading into the woods and so let him accompany us; as is typical of Rocky he danced along between us jumping between our legs causing us to trip and laugh at one another on more than one occasion. 

As we ambled through the deer field I wasn’t quite sure if the deer were watching us or Rocky but we certainly turned a few heads.

Guy carried Rocky over the stile and into the woods where just as I expected the bluebells were a radiant carpet.

It was as quiet and peaceful as could be with no sign of anyone else the whole time we were there despite being along a public footpath; it was just what I needed at the end of a busy Saturday and I indulged in a little camera play while Guy and Rocky ran and tumbled around in the bluebells together.

Guy found a low hanging branch struggling under the weight of its new spring foliage which he turned into a human catapult while Rocky nibbled on the delicacies of the forest floor, we kept a close eye on him as the bracken was just beginning to grow and this can turn goats blind but we needn’t have worried as ivy appeared to be his favourite tipple.

Heading back Rocky’s little legs were racing at full speed to keep up with Guy on his bike. We took him back to the house to say Hello to Sprout and give them both their evening bottles and a quick peck on the cheek before turning in for the night.  

Suddenly my busy day felt so much more relaxed as I paused to appreciate all that I have here at Coombe Mill with my family and the farm, a little time spent in the outdoors has such a calming effect on me and on this occasion the bonus of some one on one time with just one of my children.