Those of you who are interested, will remember that last year I reported on the foot & mouth outbreak in Yorkshire.
Well, this year, I have been to the worst area affected, Cumbria. On the face of it, nothing has really changed. The people are going about their business, the tourists are still visiting (although the Scots seem to be here in force) but the landscape seems to be missing something. It's the lack of animals on the hills. All right, I confess that I didn't actually count them, but walking through the fields, the grass was towering over number one dog in field after field. Looking around the hills, a number of sheep and cattle were around, but it was obvious that the land could support more.
Let's remember that it will take at least a couple of years before things start to get back normal in the affected areas. In the mean time, they have to survive even though compensation has been provided. I mentioned this to one resident we met on a footpath and was told that all was back to normal, but our neighbour was telling us that last year, the whole valley was shrouded in smoke and my impression was correct.
As a bit of background, we are staying at a place called Watermillock near Lake Ullswater. As I sit here, I can see the lake down below, the sun shining on the hills the other side of the lake, the dogs think the Red Squirrels are just like the gray ones we have at home, the cattle in the adjacent field wander over to stare at the strange quadrupeds, decide we are harmless, and get back to the business of 'fattening up'. In fact it's just occurred to me that each field has only about a dozen animals in, even the sheep are less numerous than I would of expected. I suppose it's all part of the recovery process. The wild life is in abundance, with badgers, deer, foxes, red squirrels (of course); twittering birds together with fairly quiet birds of pray hovering just waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting vole or mouse. The RAF have practice runs a couple of times each day, either flying their fighters 500 feet above the lake or transporters traveling in threes - just like big gray buses.
The locals seem to travel around either in great big tractors, quad bikes or beaten up red Ford Escorts. In fact, red appears to be the fashionable colour currently.  Rush hour consists of about half a dozen lorries queuing up to leave the deserted motorway and visit the truckers cafe at Penrith, no doubt on their way to the traffic jam awaiting them further south. Reading the local press, FMD still features in many places with articles about how to diverse, stories about those who have and adverts for farm auctions.
In line with this governments panache for issuing bits of paper in the quest for fooling us into thinking they actually will achieve something after eight years in government, yet another consultation document has been issued with the catchy title of 'code of recommendations for the welfare of cattle'. I read in the Cumbria Farmer, Jim Webster wrote an article suggesting that Defra believe that bulls should not be castrated apart on health grounds.  He pointed out that castrated bulls can be handled fairly easily, but if not, then the requirements for keeping them outside would deter the hardiest of walkers, let alone the fencing requirements for the hard pressed farmer. Another brilliant suggestion they have come up with is you will not be allowed to use a 'stick, goad, or other instrument or thing to hit or prod any cattle of six months or under'. As you know, suckling calves can weigh over 600 lbs (42 stone!) and they don't understand English.
We came back with the impression that more visitors would be welcome, but even that desire is being hampered by EU regulations. The farm just down the road from where we were staying used to sell its milk and even make real ice cream, but no more. The other impression we got was just how green it was compared with around here, and yes, the petrol was 2/3p cheaper per litre or 3p dearer depending on whether it was in the middle of no-where or in town.