There has been growing awareness now that many of the pockets of ancient woodland that are left in the UK are actually fragments of temperate rainforest. Unique habitats that once would have been very common along the entire western coast of the UK & Ireland due to the mild climate and high humidity. Generally consisting of Oaks, Ash, Birch, and Hazel, they can be readily identified by the abundance of mosses, lichens and ferns (many of which are internationally scarce species) which cover the trees and any boulders on the ground.

Between the farm and the neighbouring quarry there is such a woodland that you can explore. The terrain is tough – but the rewards are great.

At South Penquite we are doing what we can to preserve and increase the cover of this special woodland through natural regeneration.

Over 20 years ago we fenced off our river corridor with zero sheep grazing within 20-50 metres of the river and now that this fence is coming to the end of it’s life we are mainly grazing adjacent paddocks with our Longhorn cattle who are kept away from the river using the NoFence geo-collar system of virtual fencing.