Thursday 29th January

 All 4 ponies were at the far (eastern) end of the top track.  There was some strange work going on with machinery and vehicles blocking the gate there, but the ponies seemed rather bored - 2 standing and 2 lying down.  Otherwise, they were fine.

Both troughs were full.  The Southern Water lake is now quite big and attracting quite a few birds.  I hope it is reasonably clean.

Wednesday 28th

 4 ponies were near the bottom trough, looking well and enjoying the sunshine. Trough full.

Tuesday 27th January

Managed to avoid the rains and found the ponies in their favourite spot along the top fence and around the clump region. All munching away merrily, but obviously looking a little bedraggled, but not as bad as I was expecting. 

What's going on at the top of the site???

A few displaced hedge plants along the fence line too.

Monday 26 January

 The ponies were at the top of the site keeping a watch on the workmen. They were not bothered by them at all. The troughs were full. No issues noted.

Sunday 25th January

 The ponies were all around the lower water trough. All looking well.

Saturday 24th January

After John's post yesterday it was with great relief that I found the ponies in the open area below the top gate. They were munching away happily, whilst Flam was having a standing-up doze, and Doune was monitoring me from a distance. In the sun they all looked luminous, but no problems spotted. It was also good to see a very full lake.

Thursday 22nd January

 The ponies were only marginally less elusive than yesterday - no sign on the top path or along the fence by the road, or along the bottom path - until I reached almost the end of that path, where there is a small area fenced with barbed wire, but with a new gate at the entrance.  The gate was propped open, and there were all 4.  Hooray!  This is not an area you can see at all easily from the top path, and unless you take the precipitous route from the E end of the top path down the hill, access has to be using either the bottom path of the middle path which gradually descends to the NE corner.  All 4 looked fine if a bit damp after the rain, and looked as if they were enjoying the new-found goodies in the little enclosure:

Both troughs were full.

Wednesday 21st

 Didn't find the ponies on the track or path by Morstead rd. It was raining very heavily with a lot of wind so we gave up. Sorry. Both troughs were full and the lake's a lot bigger. 

Tuesday 20th January

Calm morning, and found the ponies a little way along the top fence line, just passed the new fencing. The three youngsters were eating scrub leaves, with Hoopy standing off a bit, looking a little sad. They all looked well though and not bothered with me. 

Monday 29 January

 The ponies were at the top of the hill. The troughs were full. No issues to report.

Sunday 18th January

 Ponies on the Morestead Rd ‘path’ 

Saturday 17th January

Found the ponies at the top of the site, sat in a little circle taking it really easy. Flam seemed to be asleep when I arrived. They all looked well, but I left them relaxing, so didn't get them up and moving. 

Wednesday 14th

 4 ponies were up near the top of the track. All looked fine. Both troughs full. Magical misty morning.

Tuesday 13th January

A soggy day on the Hill with conditions tricky under foot. Luckily the ponies were a couple of 100 metres along the main path. They were just stood there looking very wet. Doune went over to Flam, as if to tell her to not interact with the annoying biped! Despite looking pretty soggy, they seemed okay, so left them in peace. Kat was very yawny for some reason? 

Monday 12 January

 The ponies were approx three quarters up the hill between the path a the road. The troughs were full. No issues.

Saturday 10th January

Beautiful day on the Hill. Broke the thin layer of ice on both troughs. Found the ponies along the very top path, warming themselves by the scrub, looking very gorgeous. Flam was away from the others and staring me down as I approached. She then decided to bring me a piece of rubbish, which was very kind or maybe an apology for yesterday's mischievousness (can't believe I spelt that right first time!). They all looked really well so no issues to report. 

 

Thursday 8th January

 The ponies were together roaming the prairie, just west of the top gate, and grazing happily.  A brief acknowledgement of my arrival, but breakfast/brunch was more important.  They looked a bit soggy, and no doubt the forecast rain will make that worse, but perfectly happy.

Both troughs had ice in them but that will thaw in due course.

NB the top path is particularly muddy and quite slippery in some places - I guess the rain may make that worse too.

Wednesday 7th

 4 ponies were near the top gate. all looked well, though Flam started scratching her bottom on the gate.

both troughs full, with melting ice. 

I picked up a pruning saw someone had left by the main track. Put it on the beehive, for the owner to retrieve.

Tuesday 6th January

Freezing on the Hill today, -2 and blizzard conditions when I arrived, and the ice in the troughs was inches and inches thick. It took ages with a hammer to smash it up, getting covered in freezing water and ice splinters. Not fun. Some of the chunks were stupidly thick, bigger than the ice berg that sank the Titanic, so had to remove a couple. Hope that's okay. It was still freezing when I left, so not sure how quickly they will freeze over again. 

But the ponies were a little way up the main path and just down the hill slightly. Won't say they looked happy, but certainly looked a lot warmer than me, and in good shape. Kat was just stood taking in the wintery view, whilst the others were munching at the scrub. 

Monday 5 January

 The ice on the troughs was approximately 20mm thick. I managed to break it. A hammer might be a good idea for the future. The ponies were at the top of the hill between the path and the road. No issues noted. 

Sunday 4th Jan

 What a beautiful day for a walk, sunshine, frost and firm ground. Ponies at the top of the main track, Hoopy eager for a drink as I broke the ice. All looking well their coats keeping them amazingly warm. 

Saturday 3rd January

Lovely sunny day on the Hill, with a couple of Red Kites circling above. Still a bit frosty, so broke the ice on all three troughs (left the broken bits in situ as previously requested). Found the ponies along the fence line, huddled up against the bushes but enjoying the bright sunshine. It made their coats look really glossy and fluffy. They looked really well, but too busy sunbathing to pay me any heed. 

New Year's Day

 All 4 ponies were at the far end of the top track, and grazing rather languidly around the trough area.  I broke the ice on both troughs, which provided some brief interest for the ponies, but they looked a bit dozy.  However, all were well, and nothing else to report.

Except - quite a few redwings about enjoying the hawthorn berries.

Happy 2026!