2,000 sheep herded through Madrid to celebrate ancient farming routes

Those feeling a bit woolly as they emerged on Sunday morning in Madrid may have got a shock to see a flock of 2,000 sheep parading through the city’s streets.The muster is part of a 700-year-old law that allows farmers to move their livestock through areas that were open pastures and woodland before modern day Madrid became a sprawling city.With the tradition under threat due to modern farming practices, shepherds continue to lead their sheep through the streets to defend their ancient grazing, droving and migration rights.

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