“I have never been so frightened in my life, and this has put me off walking alone.”

Incident number: 909

Response  ID: 304,951,617

Date: 17.07.24

Location: On Welsh Coast Path midway between St Brides and Rumney Great Wharf, Near Cardiff.

Elaine’s Story

“I was walking along the ridge, on a PROW, with the sea wall on my left and the ditch to my right when a large herd of cows were walking towards me. I very quietly walked past most of them as I had nowhere to move to. Cows were also in the ditch and on the slope. However, one cow started to charge at me and I had nowhere to go. Scared for my life I just stood frozen and shouted “No” as loud as I could several times. Eventually it turned away. This happened twice with this herd. Further on, near to where the path turns right towards Cardiff another herd exited the field they were in and came up onto the path! Again, one cow started to charge at me and I repeated the shouting and I was left staring into the eyes of a cow who wouldn’t move. Fortunately, I saw a worker in a field in a civil and I waved to him and shouted and to his credit he ran across the field and up to the path to rescue me. He kept the cows away so I could pass. He said they wouldn’t have hurt me, but I wasn’t taking any more risks. On both occasions I had nowhere I could move to get out of their way. I have never been so frightened in my life, and this has put me off walking alone.

I would like livestock to be kept away from National Trails. I understand it’s difficult when a path goes through a farmer’s field but when a National Trail is developed the livestock should not be allowed to wander onto it.”