Ingrid is chased by bullocks on the South Downs Way

Report Number 983
Date of incident: 22/8/2021
Location: On the South Downs Way, just across the A road between Housedean Farm and Southease, near the top of a large hill.

Group of bullocks (young bulls), lone walker, dog on lead

Report: “I got to a gated field which the South Downs Way ran directly through, where I saw what appeared to be a couple of young bullocks rearing up and bucking when a couple with a dog passed by, the couple were walking slowly, and didn’t appear to be in any immediate danger, so I stupidly opened the gate and tried to walk past, staying close to the fence. When the cows clocked me they suddenly gave chase, and I had to fling myself over the fence to get away from them.”

“The fence was topped with barbed wire and I was wearing shorts, so I tore one of my legs up quite badly and had three long scratches on it for a few weeks afterwards. It was getting dark by the time I reached the bottom of the hill and I was quite shaken.”

“I had to have a tetanus jab and my GP double-checked my scratches.”

Comment re signage “There was a sign at the bottom of the hill, warning of a bull in the field, but no sign on the gate I actually went through.”

Comment by Ingrid “The field that was occupied by the cows covered an extremely large and irregularly shaped stretch of the south downs way, I would appreciate it if farmers could, where possible, keep large herds away from some of our country’s most popular walking trails.”