The Year Round: Lambing hit by harsh winter

The lowest point on this north Pennines hill sheep holding is 1000 feet, rising to 1800 feet near the Cumbrian border. Considerable areas of snow still lie when nearby lowland farms are clear.

The remaining snow here is set like concrete, and abounds in high ghylls and behind the stone walls. I've not seen so much damage to these walls in over half a century. Drifts settled on them and the accumulated weight grew simply too much.

Our 23 Swaledale rams are in two lots. In-lamb Swaledales look well, feeding on hay, silage and a few concentrates. Once they lamb, feeding is much more difficult as they have to be moved outside and lambs become separated from their dams in the rush for feed. Then they have to be mothered up again, a time-consuming business.

Moles are appearing in great numbers. Poisoning is banned so the old-fashioned trapping is the main means of control. These traps do not work in hard frosts, so the many molehills may later affect grass cutting machines.

The Swaledale hoggs are doing nicely but getting through a lot of fodder. These hoggs will join the breeding flock in autumn. We have 50 more than we planned; that number was destined for Ireland but the customer could not pay, so they are still here.

Grouse will soon be pairing and we think they may be slightly earlier this year. A number of small birds have arrived including curlew and plover or peawits.