18.06.26 Chillingham Cattle
Class 3 and Class 4 enjoyed an educational visit to The Chillingham Wild Cattle, where they learned about one of the UK’s most remarkable and rare herds. These cattle have been at Chillingham for over 800 years and are truly wild. They have no contact with humans, not even for vet care, which makes them an especially unique part of our natural heritage.
The visit provided excellent opportunities to develop fieldwork skills and map reading. Pupils walked a route of nearly 3km, using compasses and maps to guide them carefully through the landscape. They practised orienting a map to the landscape, identifying compass points, finding features, and plotting a route through the park.
Children also had great fun travelling in the back of a trailer pulled by a Land Rover, which took them on a tour of the estate. Along the way, they observed the cattle and discussed how grazing, trampling and dunging shape the environment and support other wildlife.
The group also learned about conservation work on the estate, including the impact of bracken. They discovered why this invasive species is difficult to control, as it can dominate and outcompete other plants. To help tackle this, the children took part in bracken stomping, helping to reduce its spread and support greater plant diversity.
We had a wonderful day exploring our beautiful and unique local area.
