FOLLOWING the narrow road above Balderhead Reservoir towards the heart of Cotherstone Moor reminds me of Talking Heads’ 1980s single Road to Nowhere, but then I pull into an isolated farmyard and discover rows of parked vehicles together with a swarm of beaters, keepers and picker-uppers preparing for an autumn driven grouse day. There are 33 different members of shoot staff one way or another, which is testament to the economic benefits generated by grouse moors in the remoter parts of Britain – and that’s without taking into account the impact visiting guns have on local businesses that include public houses, village shops and garages.
Cotherstone Moor in Co Durham is owned by the writer Viscount Ridley, who is also president of the Moorland Association. His estate extends to some 6,000 acres of white grass and heather moorland within a Site of Special Scientific Interest that is home to hen harriers, more than 200 breeding pairs of curlew and one of the healthiest blackgame populations anywhere in Britain. Much of this is thanks to the ongoing conservation work of local man Mark Gallagher, who came to Cotherstone as underkeeper in the millennium year before being promoted to the position of headkeeper in 2008.
Gallagher, who is also an energetic hill walker (last year, he managed to climb all 254 of England’s Nuttalls together with the Lake District’s 214 Wainwrights by Christmas), explains that the moor is capable of providing up to 20 driven grouse days in a really good year. “Although last year was a poor breeding one for grouse, things have been much better this time, with an average brood size of seven when we did our July counts,” he says. “This will be our eighth day so far this season.”
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Field ã® October 2023 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã8,500 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Field ã® October 2023 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã8,500 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
The apple of your eye
With scores to choose from in the UK, there is a delicious apple variety for everyone - and now is the ideal time to start thinking about planting one
Art in the field
Being able to study her subjects as she races alongside them has informed Belinda Sillars work, as she explains to Janet Menzies
A silvered sword from the Saxon armoury
With weaponry from the electoral court, the more silver on show, the higher the rank of the owner
Nicole Moore
The Shooting Girl With An Afro blogger explains her passion for fieldsports and outlines the importance of sharing skills and knowledge with newcomers
'Probably the greatest detective in the world'
For 100 years, on page and screen, Hercule Poirot has captivated audiences around the globe with his supreme intellect and peculiar eccentricities
View from a Bridgerton
They were the 18th-century version of a drinks trolley and now hunt tables are popular once again, partly due to Regency-period television dramas
A brush with history
Britain is world renowned for its contribution to hair care and grooming, and, as its oldest firms will testify, heirlooms come in many forms
Practically perfect
From modest origins, the gilet has evolved into a sporting wardrobe staple, combining function and fashion to become a status symbol in its own right
Best laid plans
The ancient craft of hedgelaying is playing a central role in efforts to restore the balance of nature on our farms
Under the spell of spaniels
Our favourite working breed comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which have successfully carved out their own special niche in British sport