More news from the Wrinkly Ramblers

[Anne Stern]

Monday was a really good day for walking - no wind like last week and the sun was shining.  Once again we were able to enjoy wonderful views as we set off from Pycombe to Devils Dyke.  We thought this would be an uneventful walk until we spotted a sheep which was standing behind some bushes and not moving as we approached.  On investigation by my husband we found that the poor animal was totally enmeshed in brambles and fencing.  He managed to set the sheep free but this took quite a while as he had nothing to cut the brambles with.   How long it had been there we couldn't tell but it seemed very glad to be free.   We are thinking of doing two walks next week but this may all change after the first one! We thoroughly recommend the hot chocolate at Devils Dyke - well worth the walk there!..

[John C Greves]

History of Devils Dyke well worth a read ....

Pretty common for sheep to get stuck in brambles and lamb's heads in sheep netting ... good practice for shepherd's mobile phone number to be mounted on signs and gate posts .... secateurs handy ... hooves can hurt.

You will soon be passing masts on Truleigh Hill and its massive underground Chain Home Radar Control Room ... and then um the stench of Annington Hill fame ... !

[Sue Strudwick]

This reminds me of an incident a couple of winters ago.  Whilst checking stock I came across a group of ramblers who had found a roebuck tangled in a barbed wire fence.  I advised them that I would call the keeper to deal with it, but they had secateurs and were keen to cut him free.  I stood a safe distance away, as I thought the roebuck may not be as grateful as the ramblers thought once free and may charge at the nearest thing - which it did, scattering ramblers hither and thither. It then hobbled off into the woods with it's broken leg bouncing and flailing behind. 

I'm sure the sheep was very glad to be free, but be careful, if you're not used to handling livestock you and the animal could end up in a worse pickle if you're not sure what you're doing.