We were a bit earlier on our morning dog walk this morning, and I did wonder whether we might see the deer somewhere around the Fort, what I didn’t expect was to be nearly knocked over by one.

We were on our return leg of our regular circular walk when I heard a splash from the Fort’s moat, and then something crashing through the bushes. A female Roe Deer then jumped up onto the path, nearly knocking us over. I think she probably had just as big a fright as we did, and she took off along the path in the direction we were heading.

On the other side of the moat was a male Roe Deer; probably a two year old, judging by the antlers, who was perfectly camouflaged against the woody background.

We moved on again, and were able to follow the females hoof prints, so fresh that they stood out on the path against everything else. Where they dropped back off the path, I could see that she had doubled-back below us, presumably to join up with her male companion.