HISTORY will be made at a Lake District farm this summer when a renowned Scottish cattle society holds its first open day in England.

The Luing Cattle Society will showcase the hardy breed at High House Farm, Winster, in August.

Farm manager Alec Smith said being chosen to host the event was ‘an amazing privilege’ and recognition for a decade of work building up one of the biggest Luing herds in the north of England with around 100 cattle.

“We acquired our first Luing cows over ten years ago, when looking to replace the previous farm manager’s Highland cattle with something that would provide the estate with greater productivity while maintaining our landscape and ecosystems,” said Mr Smith.

Luings, which originated on the Island of Luing in the Inner Hebrides, are so hardy they can stay out all year, even for calving.

“We needed a breed that could manage our rough land with minimal intervention yet still deliver a high return,” said Mr Smith. “Luings did just this, and have proved time and again that they are the right choice for High House Farm.

“They paddle our landscape evenly, grazing on almost everything, so they are vital in preserving some of the Lake District’s most scenic areas.

“At the moment, Luings are prolific in Scotland but very few people breed them here in England. We are one of the first farms in the North to have an exclusively Luing herd and it has benefitted us tremendously – it’s our hope that this event at our farm will encourage others to take a serious look at this breed and its potential.”

High House Farm is part of a 1,400-acre private shooting estate. The Luing Cattle Society Annual open day is on August 1.

Entry to the event is by registration only - email to highhousefarm@hotmail.co.uk