A drovers' road, drove road, droveway, or simply a drove, is a route for droving livestock on foot from one place to another, such as to market or between summer and winter pasture. Many drovers' roads were ancient routes of unknown age; others are known to date back to medieval or more recent times.
Drover's Road near Latteridge, South Gloucestershire, England.
A section of drover's road at Cotkerse near Blairlogie, Scotland
Cañada Real Leonesa Occidental in Province of Ávila, Spain
Cattle grazing on the long acre
Droving is the practice of walking livestock over long distances. It is a type of herding. Droving stock to market—usually on foot and often with the aid of dogs—has a very long history in the Old World. An owner might entrust an agent to deliver stock to market and bring back the proceeds. There has been droving since people in cities found it necessary to source food from distant supplies.
Drovers in Australia c. 1870
Drovers in New Zealand c. 1950
Droving in Australia
Sheep droving in Kings Canyon, Utah