Cow herding begins in beauty spot

Lisa Hawthornthwaite will drive a herd of grazing cattle around heathland

The tradition of cowherding has been revived in the UK according to the National Trust, with the appointment of a cowgirl on heathland in Dorset.

Lisa Hawthornthwaite will herd grazing Red Devon cattle on Studland Heath to stop it becoming overgrown with trees.

An increasing number of visitors meant the animals could not roam freely. The trust opted to revive the tradition rather than erect fences.

"Working with animals is the easy part," said Ms Hawthornthwaite.

The former nurse said she applied for the job after hearing it advertised on the radio.

"Before that, I was nursing so I spent my time for three years doing palliative care for terminally ill patients for the NHS," she said.

There are no fences so hopefully we will eventually create a habitat like it was 200 years ago through the grazing process

Lisa Hawthornthwaite

The 30-year-old moved from Lancashire to Dorset eight years ago to study at agricultural college.

With her five-year-old Highland pony, Ossie, she will bring a herd of up to 40 cows on to the 1,853 acre (750-hectare) heath in the mornings, tend it by day, then return the cattle to fields at Greenlands Farm in the evening.

"There are no fences so hopefully we will eventually create a habitat like it was 200 years ago through the grazing process," added Miss Hawthornthwaite.

The unusual job attracted applicants from as far afield as the ranches of South America to the New Forest in Hampshire.

Countryside Manager David Hodd said: "The practice still exists in Eastern Europe and indeed in parts of Holland.

"Trialling grazing methods like this is very much what the national nature reserves were created for."