Young Beltie

Another backblip.

Driving home across Dartmoor we stopped at Hexworthy to look at the old bridge and the boulder strewn River Dart. The sun was shining brightly and peeking behind a stone wall under some shady trees we espied this handsome young Belted Galloway bull looking heaven sent with the colourful Rhododendrons behind him. He was running with some Shorthorn heifers by the riverbank.

The history of Belted Galloways is slightly obscure. The parent breed is the Galloway of Galloway in Scotland. The Belties, as they are called, were first recorded in the 16C but there is a theory that the white belt was inherited from the Dutch Lakenvelder probably in the 17or 18C. They are naturally polled (without horns).

The breed suits Dartmoor very well since they have a warm double coat of long hair which is shed in the warmer months and a soft undercoat. They do not need much rich grass and do well on moorland or mountain terrain. Their meat is apparently exceptionally lean and tasty.

Yesterday went as well as could be expected and Uncle had a good send-off - I think he would have been surprised to see how many people turned up for the funeral and tea! Auntie was wonderful.