At this time of year, the Cumbrian farming community’s attention turns to breeding animals for the following spring – and the sale or purchase of tups and bulls. While I stood watching the Herdwick sheep classes at the Westmorland Show, another farmer casually mentioned that he had a belted galloway bull for sale. As I was driving down the Duddon Valley the following week, I saw his pickup heading towards me along the lane. We wound our windows down and he asked: “Do you want to see that bull?”
The bull in question was grazing on the top of a fell, so we jumped on to the farmer’s quad bike and drove up a steep, winding track through ancient woodland, past moss-covered walls and old, abandoned farm buildings. At the top of the fell, the woodland ended and bracken began to bash our legs as we drove past.
