Response ID: 328,436,497
Report number: 1222
Location: Ceredigion Coast Path (part of the Wales Coast Path) between Gwbert & Mwnt
Date: 04/02/26
2 walkers, no dog, meet about 40 Welsh Black bullocks
Pips report: “On the return stretch of our walk we encountered extremely treacherous terrain and a herd of about 40 Welsh Black bullocks milling around all along the path. My partner & I are both country people & I’m a farmer’s daughter who grew up around cattle but this was by some distance the scariest encounter I’ve ever had with livestock. They approached us, some with curiosity, a few with real intent, & starting bucking & circling. We both had to shout & scream & run at them (difficult given the conditions underfoot) & my partner made me go as fast as I could to the next gate whilst he tried to fend them off. Thank God we both made it though but I fell & jarred my hip & neck that are now painful. We were very shaken & absolutely filthy, my body-warmer & jeans were ruined. It’s a really dangerous situation & I want to report in the strongest terms that something needs to be done as a matter of urgency as it could have ended really badly.”
Pip adds “The Wales Coast Path is a very important public right of way & as such should be kept safe for everyone to use.”
Cattle Safety 
My scariest encounter was on the Wales Coastal Path at Porth Neigwl on the Llŷn. Similar thing with a group of 15 young bullocks placed in a field with no escape except for the stile on the other side. We got through because my friend had the foresight to wave her hiking poles over her head as a deterrent. It held them back until we got to the stile. We ended up reporting the farmer to DEFRA because there were dead animals on his farm, and it turned that that he was well known for causing trouble. I have no doubt that he placed that field full of bullocks on the diversion route just to scare/deter walkers. The other place where there is an intimidating herd is the Anglesey Coastal Path at Dulas. There’s no escape, other than throwing yourself into the sea.
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very much agree. I feel the status quo undermines the National Trail system. Not to mention walker safety at a time when they’re trying to promote more exercise.
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Yes you would think National Trails would be safe – but not at all!
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