Goats make their awaited return to Cromer Cliffs!

Date published: 14th July 2022

The Bagot Goats have returned to Cromer’s cliffs once again to resume their summer occupation of advanced technical grazing.

In previous years, the Bagot Goats have wintered in Salthouse, where they carry out an important habitat-management role which would otherwise pose great difficulty and expense when carried out by machine-operated conservation.

Since last year, they have taken their natural skills ‘on-tour’ around Norfolk, where they have visited various farmlands and estates where the goats are able to maintain the vegetation and encourage ecological balance without destroying the local fauna through over-consumption.

The return of the goats has been eagerly anticipated by locals who have grown fond of seeing them acrobatically landscaping the grassy cliffs and carrying out their vital environmental work.

Cllr. Nigel Lloyd, portfolio holder for Environmental Services, Climate Change & Environment, said:

“We’re delighted to see the goats return to Cromer for their important summer job - just in time for the arrival of visitors and tourists to the town. Throughout winter, they have been bringing their unique conservation skills to land around Norfolk, helping maintain landscapes in natural ways that are a technical challenge for humans but so natural and instinctive to them.

“It's great to see they were greeted by an audience; their return -like every year- is long awaited by both our residents and visitors and the cliffs themselves.”

The Bagot is believed to be Britain’s oldest breed of goat and unlike most other breeds - that favour mountains and uplands - it developed in the English lowlands. Bagots are very hardy and easy to tame and have been hugely popular with residents and visitors.

This herd first came to Cromer in 2016, when eight goats began the task of keeping the cliff habitat under control. There are now 30 goats, with 12 returning to the cliffs this year.