EPISODE four of the latest series of Home Ground saw presenter Jo Scott visit Crom Estate in Co. Fermanagh, where she witnessed a “remarkable pilgrimage across the waters of Lough Erne”.

Run by the National Trust, Crom is one of Fermanagh’s most important conservation sites.

During the episode Jo met with National Trust ranger Matthew Scott, who introduced her to the traditional practice of swimming cattle across bodies of water for summer grazing, which aids conservation of the area.

Noting that the traditional practice of swimming cattle dates back to the 1800s but is not very common now, Matthew said: “I’m not aware of anywhere else in Co. Fermanagh that this happens apart from here.

“There are some places – Strangford Lough and, indeed, other coastal sites across in the mainland – where cattle would get walked out at low tide; coastal environments.

“Certainly, swimming across in fresh water would definitely be quite unique to this area, but as I say, it would have been very common in years gone by.”

When asked by Jo why he thinks it’s important to maintain that tradition when there are plenty of alternatives, Matthew responded: “The cattle are really going out there for the purposes of conservation grazing, so if we stop grazing the land completely, it would scrub up, the woodland would essentially encroach in on to the grassland, which is bad for the wildflowers, the invertebrates and the other species that rely on them.

“So we are really still trying to keep the practice of grazing in motion, keep it alive to really manage the grassland for nature conservation.”

Matthew works with the local tenant farmer to keep the tradition of swimming cattle alive, explained Jo.

She watched on as the cattle swam from the mainland across to Innish Fendra island, where they would spend the summer months grazing before returning in the autumn.

The episode aired on BBC Two at 7.30pm on May 12 but is currently available to watch on the BBC iPlayer.