MoD Operations Room

Gordon mentions that unfortunately there were motorbikes on site on Saturday. If you do see any motorbikes the MoD are happy if you wish to report this to them (or indeed any other illegal activity). While they may not be able to respond every time they do report incidents onto the Military & Hants Police and the Training Safety Marshall, who will respond if possible. Also all incidents are logged.

The Operations Room no. is 01420 483 405. This is 24/7 and it's useful if you can give them the military code: these are B6 for Caesars Camp & B7 for Gelvert Catchment Area.

Many thanks 

Sunday 30th July - All 19 seen

A mixed group of fourteen cows were found on the east bank of the large fishing lake at 09:45 this morning.  Most were standing, relaxing and chewing their cud.  The others were munching on the fresh grass.  They were all happy and very relaxed.  Several cows came and said hello when I had a little sit down, with steer 227 happy to stand and get an ear rub.

After another long walk around the site trying to find the missing five steers, I wandered back around the fishing lakes at 11:30 and most of the cows had started to lie down either in or in front of the trees.

The five steers, 35, 217, 219, 222 and 230, were found in the area around ///atomic.duos.homing at 12:15.  They were having a boys away day and were all munching on the grass at the side of the path as they wandered in a north-westerly direction.  They were all looking well.

The cows were all good today.

Saturday 29th July - All 19 seen - Five mini scramblers on the site

Steer 30 and yearling 270 were busy grazing in the area around ///steep.losing.rudder at 10.30 this morning.  Steer 21 was lying down between them, relaxing and chewing his cud.   Cow 214 was lying down chewing her cud with cow 215 standing beside her.  They were all very relaxed.

Cows 20, 72, 234 and 940 were standing, relaxing and chewing their cud among the trees around ///estimates.repay.booth a short time later. Youngster 220 was lying down, resting and chewing his cud.

After a long walk around the site trying to find the other nine steers, I looped back around at 12:45 to find the first ten had joined up and were grazing in the thicket around ///risky.acids.stars.   They were well spread out, but were all munching away happily.

Eventually found the other nine steers under the trees in the area around ///upward.gambles.spinners at 13.00.  Older steer 33 was initially standing, chewing his cud.  He soon had a good scratch against one of the trees and then lay down.  The other eight were all lying down, relaxing and chewing their cud.  Youngsters 217 and 219 plus yearling 271 had a huge amount of flies on their faces today and were constantly trying to get rid of them.

Five mini scrambler motorbikes crossed over from Caesar's into Gelvert via the cattle grid nearest Beacon Hill Road at around noon.  I found them at 12:30 in the area around ///super.soaps.power where they had stopped for a break.   I didn't see any registration numbers on the bikes and didn't want to take any photos just in case they got upset.   They continued to ride around the site on and off for another hour.

The cows were all good today.

Thursday 27th July - All 19 seen

Cows 21, 30, 215, 222, 215, 270 and 271 were spread out grazing in the thicket around ///bitter.spud.organic at 17:10 this afternoon. They were all happily munching away on long grass. 

Youngsters 217, 219, 220 and 230 were found standing under the trees around ///poster.lighters.zest a short while later. They were spread out, each under their own group of trees, and were all relaxing and chewing their cud. The first seven cows soon wandered over and joined them in the trees. Several of the cows went all the way through the trees and out the other side, where they started grazing on the west bank of the larger fishing lake.

The final eight cows were all found at the far end of the east bank of the smaller fishing lake at 17:50. Cow 214 was standing, relaxing and chewing her cud. The other seven were all enjoying grazing on fresh grass. They were all happy and relaxed. 

 The cows were all good today.

Wednesday 26th

Found all 19 (eventually!) In the open area near the bourley road/camp 45 entrance. 18 were lay in the open, one was hidden somewhere nearby, but came when called.

All looked well.

Tuesday 25th July - All 19 seen

Steers 21, 30, 217, 219, 220, 222, 228 and 270 were all lying down relaxing and enjoying the warm afternoon sun on the grass just in front of the car park at the fishing hut at 16:35.  Youngster 230 was busy munching on fresh grass on the far side of the small fence.  Yearling 271 got up, had a stretch and then started munching as well.

Cows 20, 72, 227 and 940 were grazing in the area around ///kebabs.readjust.scary at 17:25.  Steers 33 and 35 were munching on grass a bit further along the path.  The three British White girls, cows 214, 215 and 234, were grazing a bit further along around ///about.sweep.group.  They all continued to graze happily, heading in a northerly direction.  All nine cows then slowly and carefully descended the very steep hill before stopping to graze on the long grass at the bottom around ///silver.grafted.accented.

The cows were all good today.

Sunday 23rd July - All 19 seen

Youngster 220 was found grazing at the side of the path around ///many.awoke.hush at 10:15 this morning.  Yearling 270 was grazing just ahead of him.  Steers 227 and 230 emerged from the thicket to the side of him as well.  All four slowly wandered down the hill, grazing as they went.

Steers 20, 21, 33, 35 and 219 were all found grazing a bit further down the path around ///whiplash.goal.plus.  I was just checking them over when a galloping youngster 217 appeared.  I suspect he had been left behind in the woods that 227 and 230 emerged from.  He seemed relieved to have caught up with his herd mates.

Cows 30, 222, 228 and 234 were munching on leaves in the thicket just down from the group of six.  Several of the others soon joined them.

By 10:45 youngsters 219 and 220 plus yearlings 270 and 271 had made it down as far as ///sadly.outlast.steepest where they were happily grazing on the fresh grass at the side of the path.

Found the final four girls, cows 72, 214, 215 and 940, grazing together in the area around ///pelting.accent.fond at 11.05.  They had wandered quite a bit away from the others, but were all happily munching in the thicket.  Steers 30 and 230 soon joined them.

By 11:45, fifteen of the cows had gathered on the east bank of the smaller fishing lake.  They were all munching on the grass, with many taking a drink from the lake.  The other four, cows 30, 72, 228 and 940, joined them at noon.  By 12:20 the whole gang had made it to the trees at the side of the larger fishing lake.  Several cows lay down to rest, while the others stood and chewed their cud.

The cows were all good today.

Saturday 22nd July - All 19 seen

The cows were all together in the same area, down beside the Bourley Road, but spread out in little groups at 09.15 this morning.   Cows 214 and 234 were together on one side of the path around ///fields.wand.sued.  Cow 234 lying down, relaxing chewing her cud, with cow 214 standing close by.  Cows 20, 30, 215, 219, 222, 228 and 230 were all busy munching on fresh grass on the opposite side of the path.  

Older cow 940 was lying down chewing her cud around ///prestige.windmills.bits.  Cow 72 was standing beside her also chewing her cud.  Cows 220, 227, 270 and 271 were happily grazing close by.

Older cow 35 and youngster 217 were standing amongst the bracken to the north-east of them.  They, too, were chewing their cud.  Older cows 21 and 33 were a bit further down amongst the thicket around ///social.goat.rationed, where they were breaking branches from trees and munching on the leaves.  

By 10:20 the cows had all grouped together on both sides of the path around where cows 214 and 234 were initially found.  They were lying down, relaxing and chewing their cud.  Occasionally they'd take a break to rest their eyes or have a stretch.  The two yearlings were super hungry today and continued to munch on the fresh grass, lying down with the others about 10 minutes later.

The cows were all good today.