Common

I leave my house, turn left and walk up a steep hill. I pass a crossroads with a good pub on the right hand side. Further up the hill is a cattle grid and over the grid the ground climbs to a plateau which is common land. The 13th May each year is celebrated as Marking Day and has been since anyone can remember. Upwards of 500 cows are marked for later retrieval and released so that they can graze freely on the Common for the summer months.