Of the many ‘wildlife takeovers’ recorded in recent months, the images of the Llandudno mountain goats careering through deserted streets were some of the most abidings. Videos of the caprine army soon went viral, but it was nothing out of the ordinary for residents of the seaside town, who are quite used to seeing a sudden difference in the thickness of their hedging.
This 100-strong hairy herd of white Kashmiri goats has been roaming the limestone headland of the Great Orme, on the north coast of Wales, for more than a century. The species was originally brought to Britain to launch a cashmere-shawl industry and the current herd is descended from goats purchased by Lord Mostyn for the Gloddaeth estate in the late 1880s. They were later released onto the Orme, where they have flourished in isolation into a distinct subspecies (Capra markhor).
‘They do like to come down from the hillside, especially if it’s windy,’ confirms Andrew Stuart, a video journalist and unofficial goat correspondent, who filmed the goats when staying at his parents’ house during the lockdown. ‘This time, as everything was quiet, they went much further into the town.’ Indeed, moving freely in a large pack, the goats helped themselves to anything they fancied and sunbathed in the churchyard. ‘Trinity Square’s hedging took quite a battering and, after a while, we started to recognize certain characters that returned every day,’ adds Mr. Stuart.
Normally quite shy, the Llandudno goats have nevertheless become accurate local weather forecasters. In June 1993, a large group of billies was spotted near the old post office just before the heaviest rainfall ever recorded fell upon the town.
Denne historien er fra August 05, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra August 05, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery