About 45 representatives from all over the Cotswolds visited Cranham on the 11th October to study the Common and hear about how it is grazed. The walk, was organized jointly by English Nature and the Cotswold Area of Natural Beauty. Fortunately the weather was beautiful, and it was followed by lunch at the Black Horse.
The party included several specialised botanists and lepidopterists, some of whom who have been studying the common over the summer, and who were delighted at its condition. There was much talk of the different sward heights needed for different butterflies, in particular the Duke of Normandy which requires a little light scrub. Two people agreed to produce reports.
Everybody was impressed at the community spirit which care for the Common seems to engender, although this is undoubtedly easier in a place such as Cranham rather than for example Leckhampton Hill with its much wider range of users from academic geologists, to hang gliders, and huge numbers of dog walkers.
We will be placing copies of the detailed reports on the www.cranham.net M E Crowther.
Moving the Common Cows last Sunday
