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.”
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Strength in Numbers -The success of Britain's growing band of Farmer Clusters shows the value in working together and engaging with the public in the name of conservation, says Gabriel Stone
In a world that leans into gloomy headlines, it's important to wave the flag for a refreshing success story. That's especially the case when it comes to our overburdened farming sector and the wider way in which we manage the landscape. Yes, we: everyone can play a role, not least through one inspirational initiative. Ever since a 2013 pilot project by the GWCT in association with Natural England, Farmer Clusters have mushroomed across Britain. Led by farmers with guidance from expert advisers, today's network of about 125 clusters encourages a cohesively managed, locally tailored, larger-scale approach to conservation work.
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