Drovers Agreement: Fleehope

FleehopeFleehope was the fifth site to be grazed under the Drovers Project and was grazed for the first time during the 2005 season. The Drovers Agreement for the site was a three-way agreement between Northumberland National Park Authority Drovers Project, the tenant, and the grazier for the site.

Profile:

The site at Fleehope is 348ha in size, and covers Blackhaggs Rigg. The site is part of Fleehope Farm, which is owned by College Valley Estates and is run by a tenant alongside Hethpool, also part of College Valley Estates.

Objectives:

The objective for grazing Fleehope was to use traditional cattle to reduce the dominance of rank grass species such as purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea) and mat grass (Nardus stricta) which were causing the vegetation structure of the site to become rougher and tussocky. This was beginning to have an adverse effect on the performance of the sheep.