Response ID: 316,520,166
Date of incident: 26.8.25
Location: On the South Downs Way just to the East of Ditchling Beacon on an area of the path called Wester Brow.
Status: Couple with no dog on PRoW
Richard’s account:
“This area of the South Downs Way is hemmed in by barbed wire fences on both sides and becomes quite narrow. The entire way ahead between the fences was blocked by a herd of around 40 cows that were coming towards us. We had to divert into a neighbouring field using one of the few gates along that stretch and continue past the cows on a parallel field eventually having to get back on the path by an awkward climb over a barbed wire fence. This was the only way to avoid having to walk right through the middle of this large herd of cows. What is so annoying is that there is perfectly good grazing land on either side of the South Downs way – why did this threatening herd have to be on the path?”
Richard intends to report this to the National Park Authorities and adds “Large herds of cows should not be permitted on narrow sections of the South Downs way such as to cause walkers to have to divert off the path.”
Cattle Safety 