goats have been present in the valley of rocks since Doomsday times over many centuries, though their fortunes have come and gone. In the mid 19th Century local grazers removed the goats as they butted their sheep over the cliffs. The Hewitts reintroduced goats at the end of that century but they were of a domestic variety and the herd succumbed eventually to the harsh winter conditions by the 1960's. The herd today originated from the Northumbrian Cheviot Hills and was introduced in the mid 70's and have adapted well to the Valley's environment.
goats at the Valley of the Rocks
This breed of goat is well adapted to the environment here, small and stocky with a large rumen that can be packed full of poor grade fodder which then acts like a furnace to keep it warm. Even its ears are small to ward off the effects of frost, and its overall appearance is very much in keeping
with the Exmoor Pony, a breed that developed in similar conditions. The goats are protected from the rain by long waterproof coats that feel greasy to the touch. Next to their skin there is a fine layer of cashmere that keeps out the intensest cold.
Wild goat at The Valley of the Rocks Lynton
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
January, in the depths of winter, is the season when the goats have their kids. The nannies give birth (sometimes twins) in a place of privacy and shelter. In a few days the nanny will rejoin the herd. She will lick each kid clean and almost immediately they will be able to stand and follow their mother. Ravens, crows, foxes and Birds of prey will quickly clean up the afterbirth and any stillborn kids. The newborn kids are very vulnerable during their first few days of life, especially if the weather is very wet and cold. Nannies will hide their kids in safe places like rock crevices or under the heather whilst they graze nearby. Last year's female kids will graze alongside their mothers learning safe places to
hide their own kids when the time comes.
Grazing goats at the Valley of the Rocks
Soon after kidding the goats will be ready to mate again. Even if a kid from the first mating dies this second mating will produce another kid five months later in June or July. As the kids grow they start to become more adventurous and often play together in kid groups watched over by one of the mothers.
At this time of year the males and females graze together but soon the males will drift away and form a separate group. In the winter the grass is low in nutrients and the early flowers of gorse will be a welcome addition to the diet. The males prefer more woody growth to the females and will consume tree bark, gorse and thorn bush. They also like ivy and will strip it from the dry stonewalls.
Wild goat at The Valley of the Rocks Lynton at sunset
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
The goats alternate between periods of feeding and periods of rest when they lie down and ruminate or 'chew the cud'. Grass is the mainstay of their diet but they also enjoy heather and bramble and eat small amounts of bracken, foxglove and other wild flowers. At this time of year the billies move away to higher ground and nearby woods on Hollerday Hill where they will stay for the summer, returning to join the females and kids in August ready for the rut. When they have finished chewing the cud they will sleep but one goat always stays awake to watch for danger.
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