Giving the Wilder Doddington cattle more room to roam on the Georgie Twigg Track
Our beautiful, rare-breed Lincoln Red cattle are key to habitat creation at Wilder Doddington. Their role is to graze vegetation, browse hedgerows, create bare earth patches and defecate on the land spreading seeds and natural fertiliser. This in turn creates a mosaic of habitats that a multitude of different species, from insects and birds to mammals, will use for feeding, nesting and shelter. To do their job properly the cattle need access across Wilder Doddington.
From Monday 02 October, this freedom for the cattle will be extended to the areas either side of the Georgie Twigg Track and recent visitors may have seen our information signs and the gates and cattle grids being installed.
The popular Georgie Twigg Track is a permissive track connecting Doddington to the Sustrans cycle track, which runs west from Lincoln city centre and connects to the National Cycle Network.
We need to prevent our cattle straying out of our boundaries so we are installing a pedestrian gate, vehicle gate (for farm machinery and emergency services) and a bicycle friendly cattle grid at both the top and bottom of the track. Walkers, runners, pushchairs, mobility scooters and cyclists will all be able to continue to access the Georgie Twigg Track easily and safely.
Please do not attempt to walk over the cattle grids and please supervise children using the cattle grids on their bikes.
Work is in progress to tarmac the approaches to the new gates and grids – please bear with us. In particular the bike friendly grids will remain closed until tarmac is in place, and cyclists should dismount and use the pedestrian gate.
Our cattle already roam across many of our footpaths and bridleways elsewhere on the farm and they are used to people passing through their habitat. It is important to be mindful and respectful that you are entering their home. Never attempt to touch of feed our animals – by doing so you are putting yourself and others at risk. Read more about how to walk near cows:
Please remember to:
- Walk calmly and quietly around the herd
- Close gates behind you
- Keep your dog close, on a short lead at all times, and under effective control
- Pick up dog poo and take the bag with you
- If the cows are in your path it is fine to leave the path and walk around them, making sure not to split a cow from its calf.
Note: The pedestrian gates are 1.5m wide and the cattle grids are 1.25m wide. For more information on the cycle friendly cattle grids please follow this link:
