Dog waste

Thu 15 Oct 2015, 20:39

Alison can I echo Bridget's request to move the electric fence a little further from the hedge, so that we once again have access to the well trodden footpath? I cycle along there every day to work and back, and it is much much bumpier next to the hedge and very uncomfortable to ride along. As this is a permissive cycle path it would be good if it were a bit more pleasant to use - and it would also give more space to pass pedestrians on the footpath.

Tue 13 Oct 2015, 13:03

The cows in the field are a mixture of cows with their calves some being bullocks and some are heifers, there is also a bull running with them.
The reason they appeared back is because with the river level so low they can access both meadows via the arches, it seems they prefer the footpath side! There must be more tasty grass this side.

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 19:52 (last edited on Mon 12 Oct 2015, 21:42)

Alison, I think many of us are disappointed that both you, on behalf of the Cornbury Estate, and Lord Rotherwick in a private e-mail, initially referred to the fence as a temporary measure while cattle were grazing the Lower Park in the summer. After some time the cattle were moved away to another field. Several weeks after that I e-mailed Lord Rotherwick to ask if the fence might be taken down, and the following day (on which he told me that he intended to leave the fence permanently in place) the cattle reappeared in the field.

Naturally changes of plan occur, and the Estate is in no way beholden to the people of Charlbury, however liberally previous owners may have behaved towards them. It is, as we know, a business, whereas our use of the footpath is in most cases for health and leisure. It would be pleasanter, however, if we could be slightly less constricted. It has been uncomfortable walking on rough ground so close to the iron fence, when a well-trodden footpath exists beyond the line of the electric wire. Could the electric fence not be re-routed (for example) outside the woodland, which is useless for grazing as well as containing one of the two large badger setts in the area?

Until this year I have known the field used only for sheep, and I believed that we footpath users respected their presence, kept gates shut and avoided approaching them. It is a pity that some of us now feel positively discouraged from walking at Cornbury at all.

Incidentally (re the Independent article) I have not seen cows, lethal or otherwise, in the field. The animals in question appear to be bullocks.

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 18:33 (last edited on Mon 12 Oct 2015, 18:46)

Alison, those if us who own dogs are well aware of possible danger to livestock, and to the dog, if the two get mixed up. No-one is suggesting that we should be walking on Cornbury with dogs unleashed when there are animals on the pasture. I completely respect the fact that the footpath is the footpath, that the pasture belongs to Cornbury, and that those of us who have enjoyed roaming in the past have been able to do so thanks to Cornbury's generosity in turning a blind eye.

I have not been up there now for several months. This is a great shame - I love walking that way, but walking along the footpath with a dog that loves scurrying into the undergrowth is just not a pleasure any more. The reason is that my dog could easily get under the wire of the electric fence but I would struggle to fetch him if he ran off. So he has to be kept on a lead, which is tedious for me and for him. We now go elsewhere.

I can understand why the estate has resorted to the wire fence but the fact that it is probably the cheapest option appears to be its only merit. It is disappointing that, having been told that this would be in place only for a few months it is now a permanent feature of the park. If it is intended to keep livestock on the field permanently in future, I hope the estate will consider a more permanent fence making it easier for me and others with dogs to walk up there again.

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 18:27

I believe the rules on public right of way are that a bordering electric fence has to have on it somewhere that it is an electric fence! Usually a little yellow sign, and i don't know how often along it. One shock does the trick with most dogs and children... or test with a long blade of grass. It is a shame the field is now closed off apart from the path but the 'public' do not have any rights to access/use it.

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 17:05

On behalf of Cornbury Estate -

The stock fence at Cornbury is in place as a precaution, to prevent livestock, walkers and most importantly dogs interacting with each other in a bad way. A permanent sheep fence used to run part way along the footpath and there are now plans to retain the fence there in order continue using the fields for livestock. So the fence safeguards pedestrians and animals, and also ensures that the footpath is kept in good order.

You may be interested in the following article from The Independent which highlights the potential dangers of walking, particularly with dogs in fields of cattle: www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/hoofed-and-dangerous-britains-killer-cows-1776775.html

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 16:34

What is wrong with the mill field? My understanding is there are no restrictions there if you want to walk by the river and have a picnic I believe it isn't private property!

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 15:10

I can see they wouldn't want that. However, as you said, closing one day a year achieves that purpose elsewhere. I go back to my point which is - in the past, it seemed to have worked fine. Why the change now?

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 13:43

It will be a problem because while the path is open to the public, the field is not, it's private property. If you can prove uninterupted use of an area for a certain number of years (25?) then it becomes a legitimate right of way (this is why Nine Acres has the path across it out of use 1 day a year, so it's a permissive path not a proper footpath). I'd guess Cornbury don't want such a thing happening, in addition to not wanting any problem for their livestock.

Mon 12 Oct 2015, 09:43

Until this year, 90% of the year there was no livestock in the small part of the 5000 acre Cornbury estate that's open to the public. Local people enjoyed walking with their kids and dogs, having the occasional picnic. Though you'd rarely see someone else except at weekends. This has been happening for many years, long before we moved here. It brought happiness to many. How was this a problem?

Sun 11 Oct 2015, 22:18

Whilst on the estate I don't represent the estate. So if people kept their dogs under closer control in the field and didn't range everywhere there would not be a conflict between livestock and walkers and dogs. Since I have lived at the gates more and more people have used the field as open park and this has impacted on the sheep and cattle that graze there. If people want to see the fence removed a little more understanding of the impact on the livestock might help. PS small boys seem to benefit from the gentle shock from the fence, I know because I saw 5 playing with it.

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 20:04

for many years, walkers, dogs and livestock have co-existed happily without the need for an electric fence. It's long been the case that cattle were in one private field and sheep would spend a couple of months a year in the field next to the public footpath, no electric fence needed. Why the change now? I've heard that Lord Rotherwick has plans.

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 16:01

I'm sure an electric fence is much more versatile, much cheaper and just as effective as an ordinary fence.

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 15:58

Of course the animals need to be kept safe; I'm not disputing that. And I totally understand the need to stick to designated footpaths but do we really need an electric fence? Wouldn't an ordinary fence suffice? As for chocolate boxes, I'm only interested in the edible variety!

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 13:24 (last edited on Sat 10 Oct 2015, 15:19)

It is not all Chocolate Box Houses living in the country,I am sure you would not want to run the gauntlett through a field of cows that were not kept at bay by a fence,this is how it is here,livings have to be made!. John H

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 11:46

Well that was exactly what happened to our daughter a few weeks ago. She didn't see the electric fence and accidentally knocked into it. She was very upset (thanks for that, Cornbury) and I had to try to explain why they felt the need to put something like that there. I'm feeling like it's the humans being penned in rather than the cattle.

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 09:23

We do need that 'like' button!

Sat 10 Oct 2015, 09:10

The livestock was quite difficult to see in that field the other week also...

Fri 9 Oct 2015, 14:45

Not only does the electric fence seem unnecessarily close to the footpath, it is also actually quite difficult to see in certain places and light conditions, particularly along the edges of the grass. While not exactly dangerous, it wouldn't be very pleasant for any passing dog or child that happened to fall/run into it.

Thu 8 Oct 2015, 11:54

I e-mailed him and received this answer: "I do understand your concerns but we do need to use these fields for livestock throughout the year. I am anxious to do this in a way that minimises the impact on the footpath. There are cattle in these fields at present and may be sheep later on in the year."

Thu 8 Oct 2015, 10:20

The electric fence is a very sad thing, in my opinion. I believe that someone went to see Lord Rotherwick about it - I'd be interested to know the outcome if that person reads this. Maybe start another thread?

Wed 7 Oct 2015, 22:27

Suzy, I think they were yours. They were on the edge of the patch of grass in front of the Pre-School, but close enough to the pavement to catch my eye as I walked along. I did, I'm sorry to say, kick one of them into the gutter and disposed of the other. The seat I referred to is up by the Pre-School, against the wall. I apologize for not having realized that you intended to pick them up, but it isn't always easy to read people's undeclared intentions - e.g. Lord Rotherwick's about the electric fence, which we were told was temporary but I now understand will be permanent.

Wed 7 Oct 2015, 22:09

Maybe it wasn't my bags you saw as mine were put to one side, no nearby seat I can think of.

Wed 7 Oct 2015, 20:34

I can't see what it has to do with Cornbury if we want a dog bin on the public highway in Park Street.

Wed 7 Oct 2015, 11:32 (last edited on Wed 7 Oct 2015, 11:32)

Suzy, I appreciate your intentions and know that it was raining at the time, but perhaps you could have left the bags a little farther from the pavement - hidden under the nearby seat, for instance, if doubling back home was too inconvenient. Too many abandoned bags of the stuff, in the hedges around Lee Place as well as on field paths, seem to be awaiting that mythical 'man from the Council' to collect them.

Tue 6 Oct 2015, 23:01

Hi Brigid, it was me that left those 2 bags as both my dogs inconveniently pooed not long after I set off for a walk from my house in Park Street. Not wanting to carry bags of poo with me, I left the bags to one side, out of the way, to pick up on my way home. I was surprised to find that one of the bags had gone when I returned barely more than 30 mins later and the other one had been thrown in the road! I spent some while searching for the missing bag. I ALWAYS pick up my dogs' waste and agree that it's objectionable when bags aren't picked up. By the way, I've never seen a bag left in Park Street though quite a few poos get left - sometimes right outside my house and Pre-School - which is disgusting.

Tue 6 Oct 2015, 22:57 (last edited on Tue 6 Oct 2015, 23:03)

Tue 6 Oct 2015, 20:51

Some people seem to have a strange idea of what clearing up after their dog(s) means? I have 3 dogs & always carry bags with me (99p for a box containing 150 from Pounstretcher, Witney), & regularly go up Woody Lane to get access to the fields, there is a bin at the bottom of the Lane, if my dogs mess while walking up the Lane I bag it up & just leave it on a flat part of the wall, to save walking all the way back down the Lane, & I pick the bags up on my way back & put them in the bin!
But there are some that do not clear up after their dogs, there are families with children that regularly walk up there, so come on, be a bit more responsible about clearing up! While there are others that do bag up the mess, but instead of binning it, they then throw it up into the bushes/trees, so they are left hanging on the branches like Xmas decorations? Sorry, can't figure that one out myself!!!

Tue 6 Oct 2015, 20:03

Unfortunately, Cornbury did not want to allow us a bin at the entrance. I will try again to see if we can get one on a post along the street.

Tue 6 Oct 2015, 17:18

Someone who uses pale yellow dog-bags appears to be in the habit of dropping them, loaded, along the pavement on Grammar School Hill. I found two this afternoon within 10 or 20 yards of one another.

Perhaps it is time to ask (again?) for a dog-waste bin somewhere near the entrance to the Cornbury drive. Meanwhile, the yellow-bag user might be good enough to stop littering in this unpleasant way.