The Summer Cows of Little Hob Moor.

I moved to York a year ago and was walking around the area when I came across this piece of land in the middle of the city. There are around 100 cows on the Moor. Hob Moor is part of a large, flat area drained by a network of becks and ditches, parts of which are now culverted underground. The area is popular with dog walkers and joggers and is barely a mile from the city centre, surrounded by an urban landscape. Streams run on 3 sides of the main part of the moor. The cattle are French Limousin (a large framed breed of beef cattle with a bright wheat-coloured coat, not too dark, a little lighter on the belly, the rear of the thighs, between the legs, on the anus, around the testicles or udder, and the tail tip) and Belgian Blues that are a distinctive blue/grey colour. They are 10-14 months old and both breeds are known for their docile nature, which is important as the cattle are free to roam around the moor with the dog walkers and runners. I spent the last few months meandering amongst the herd in the hottest summer I can remember and soon began to recognise individuals and characteristics. Which ones were playful, curious, intimidating, shy or sociable.