Chorleyanalytics

Avoidance seemed the best strategy

Incident number: 848

Response ID: 302,184,681

Date: 09/05/24

Location: Wiltshire- Walking from Barbury castle to Ogbourne St George and then back along the Ridgeway.

One Ridgeway walker recalls : “As my dog (border terrier) and I entered the first field along our route, we saw a group of about 20 cows ahead of us but to the left. I decided to keep our distance and walk tightly along the fence line. My dog was quite interested in the cows and wanted to go in their direction, so she was kept on a very short lead. The cows then noticed us and started walking towards the fence line ahead of us, then towards us. They seemed very curious and like they would keep coming at us if we’d stayed the course. Whilst stood facing the cattle, deciding what to do (should I turn my back? Should I go quickly or slowly? Could I jump over this barbed wire if I had to?) the cow nearest us started tail flicking and snorted- I knew this was not a good thing! So we ended up walking back on ourselves slowly, then far down and across the field out of their sight. Then, on the return leg of the journey, in a different field, the adult cows this time first stopped and stared and then all made a beeline for the gate ahead of us we needed to go through! The whole herd congregated there. I’m not sure if they were expecting it to be opened so they could go through? Again, we had to hike far up and across that field, then probably trespass into some other fields (under an electric fence, over a locked gate) to get back onto the Ridgeway.”

A farmers perspective on cattle and walkers

Recently a farmer emailed our group and we felt that he had some useful discussion points that we could empathise with and wanted to share some of his thoughts. Obviously we don’t agree with all of the points but here starts the dialogue. We have always been up for collaboration in our quest to keep people safe.

The following words in italics are the farmers words…….

“I read the article in the Daily Mail on Thursday and there lies your problem!!!! In that sensational reporting makes the countryside sound like a no-go zone!!!!

What you need to clearly understand Cows are absolutely no different to us humans they protect their young and that’s completely understandable. Dogs are the main threat as many are not used to livestock and sadly many dog owners have no idea on what to do when in the same field as livestock and that includes sheep. Also you must remember you’re on their patch, try getting close to a seagull’s nest this spring and you will understand what I mean.
I walked the whole South West Coastal Path recently and that’s 630 miles mainly in open fields with often all types of livestock with absolutely no issues. Yes I understand livestock I hear you say and your correct I do but the Cows don’t know that! Also I didn’t have a dog. I’m NOT saying dogs should not be welcomed into the countryside but owners need to understand how Cows think.

I have read your 3 aims,
1. Cattle to be separated from walkers – Not a chance and completely unrealistic. Farmers struggle to afford the maintenance of their farms thanks to the pittance they receive from those Greedy Supermarkets.
Also you seem to think electric fence is the answer again not a chance the cost would be huge and why should we have to do this on our land?
Footpath waking does not earn us any income it damages our fields and fences through unresponsible people.
2. Compulsory Insurance for all farmers who keep livestock – I expect a lot of livestock farmers are insured but remember you are entering a field on your choice we aren’t inviting you!!
3. A central database to report all attacks – Well you website probably achieves that. Don’t think the Government will help as they can’t even sort the illegal immigrants out can they?

Please get good advice from people who actually understand cattle and that’s definitely NOT DEFRA bless them, not a clue.
Farmers are actually really nice people and can offer great advice so talk to them and respect their land and animals. It’s very tough farming and it’s getting tougher trust me we really don’t need all this grief we seem to get as it really does not help us want to welcome the public onto our land – and remember it’s your choice not your right so try respecting our lovely countryside. Learn the country code and pick up after your dog and for goodness sake don’t leave your Poo Bag hanging on our hedges!!!!!!!!!!”

We think the following points:

Thank you for contacting us and we would value any advice that farmers could give us and other walkers. Perhaps provide us with a big list of dos and don’ts???? What to do ifs?????
Only 50% of the over 835 reports of cattle attacks on our database involved dogs so they are NOT the only risk here, however, we do acknowledge that they COULD upset cattle.
We totally empathise with famers’ financial constraints and understand that fencing off/ moving cows and calves/ using electric fencing is expensive, and would welcome any ideas of compromise because most of our footpaths are public rights of way and landowners have a legal duty of care to minimise any risk to people passing through them. HSE states that they should take all reasonably practical safety measures to protect the public.
Farmers especially not the big landowners have a tough time of it and this is not made easier for them by irresponsible walkers who allow dogs to worry their animals and their foolishness to destroy their land but we all need to work together to keep ourselves safe.
Not all farmers have insurance and what will happen if their cows cause an accident – the person who is harmed will have no financial assistance so we stand by the insurance argument, however, the general public could take out their own insurance which is relatively inexpensive to protect themselves in addition.

On the Bures Dragon hiking loop. Jennifer and her friend remained calm

Incident number: 838

Response ID: 301,224,274

Date: 13.04.24

Location: Bures, Suffolk. Between Smallbridge and Bures Road on the St Stephen’s Chapel, Bures Dragon hiking loop.

Jennifer said that two of them had been walking in the above location with no dog. In her words.

“Cows came quickly over from the other side of the field, surrounded us coming very close and were clearly agitated – they started to paw the ground. At this point we calmly turned around and walked to the gate we had entered by. (had we not been able to do this I believe we would have been injured.) We ‘done’ all the right things – no sudden noise or movements and we stayed next to the fence line whilst walking.”

Jennifer wants “Clear signs ‘ not to enter’ or where possible, an alternative route provided by farmer so no one gets hurt or scared ( including the animals)”

Alison’s horrific incident that still affects her deeply

Incident number: 835

Response ID: 300,776,430

Date: 11/08/2015

Location: Hartsop near Patterdale in the Lake District

In her own words ……..

“It was the first day or our holiday. My husband had gone cycling. My brother and I were walking through a field with cows in the distance, I put the dog on the lead because I didn’t want him to chase them. (he didn’t usually but I was being cautious.) A few minutes later I noticed that the cows had come closer and the next thing I knew I was being headbutted in my chest and trampled. I just remember thinking that this couldn’t really be happening and that it really hurt!. I managed to stagger up but they butted me again. I have no idea if it was one to two who were attacking me.

I covered by face and my brother managed to grab me and pull me to safety. It was probably all over in a few minutes but felt like forever. At no point did I think I wasn’t going to make it, survival instinct kicked in. We had no mobile reception so my brother left me to find a phone. Other people arrived and tried to help. I was really struggling to breathe but was pretty numb and shocked.

The air ambulance took me to Preston where I was diagnosed with 2 collapsed lungs, multiple broken ribs, a big laceration on my right knee which required operating on, a broken hand which required an operation and pins, a broken collar bone and horrendous bruises all over my body and my face in particular. I was in hospital for 10 days with 2 operations on my knee and hand. I also received physio for weeks after and psychological help because I was diagnosed with PST and even now, just a photo of a cow makes my stomach churn.”

Fast forward to today and Alison is understandably still very cautious.

She says several things “I would like better signage but sometimes signs say that there are cows with calves in fields but they don’t offer an alternative route. My friend and I take so many “cow avoidance routes” probably climbing fences we shouldn’t just to get away from them. We had another experience recently where we had no way out and had to clamber through streams and woodlands to get out of harm’s way. This time the cows were so inquisitive but who knew what was likely to happen. I would like better advice on what to do, some say wave your arms, some say don’t, keep dog on lead or not, I sometimes think farmers put cows in fields to stop you walking through!!”

A charge that could have been very nasty

Incident number: 831

Response ID: 300,626,483

Date: 30/03/24

Location: Llanfwrog, Anglesey. Here is a precise what3words address branch.starlight.hillsides

Gary and his wife were walking on a public right of way in the location above with their small dog on a lead when they came upon a single cow with a farmer.

In his words “The cow had given birth overnight and the farmer had the calf on his quad bike and was using it to get the cow to follow him up the road. We had nowhere to go and it saw our dog and charged her taking me and my wife out in the process. A few cuts and bruises but it could have been a lot worse.”

They were understandably very scared and didn’t know who to inform although we have contacted them and suggested they contact the Health and Safety executive.

Guy’s frightening story on the Tyne and Wear Heritage Trail

Incident number: 829

Response ID: 300,231,660

Date: 21.03.24

Location: High Spen, Tyne and Wear (grid ref: NZ 13484 60569)

Guy was walking with on a circular country walk with a friend and his dog. Part of the route included the Tyne and Wear Heritage Trail, a major rambling route clearly marked on the OS App and signage. “We followed the path and the dog was on a lead at all times. While descending towards a small stream (the Coal Burn see map reference), we were mobbed by a herd of around thirty cows and at least one bull at grid location NZ 13484 60569 (Strothers Farm, High Spen). Some of the cows were visible across the field when we entered, but others and the bull were in another field we couldn’t see, through an opened gate. One cow pushed me over a barbed wire fence resulting in a lot of bruising (I will go to A&E if I have further symptoms). We called the farmer for help, who said they were not her cows but promised to contact their owner. Apparently the cows had recently chased other walkers. However nobody came to our aid and when we spoke to the farmer later on she had not been able to contact the owner of the herd. I understand the incident was on her land. We were hemmed in by the animals, some less than a meter away, for around an hour (trapped around 10:30, first call for help, after I was butted, at 10:38, police officers arrived at 11:27). Eventually we had to call the police and four officers eventually arrived and distracted the herd in order to rescue us. Although we were extremely grateful for their help and professionalism, this was not a good use of their time. It was also a very frightening incident. I’ve never known anything like it, after many years of enjoying the countryside. We were both terrified. To my mind, this represents dangerous, reckless farming. A document from the Ramblers Association appears to summarise the law https://www.ramblers.org.uk/what-we-care-about/rights-way-and-cattle. None of the recommended health and safety guidelines for farmers listed there appear to have been followed”

Stopped walking on a public path due to cattle encounter

Incident number: 826

Response ID:

Date: 30.06.23

Location: Public walk behind Otter (before reaching Spriddlestone ) in Brixton, Plymouth, Devon

May’s Story: I was walking on my own without a dog when I saw a group of cows on the public walk that goes across the field, so I tried to walk around them. Good luck I wasn’t too close because suddenly two red cows started running towards me. I ran back to the gate as fast as I could and the cows crashed hard into the fence. It was very hurtful and I’m traumatized.

May says “I don’t go back to that route no more. It’s scared me senseless even just seeing a sheep nowadays. The farmer shouldn’t have cows and calves on public walk at the same time.”

A run that had a scary end

Incident number: 825

Response ID: 296,105,674

Date: 20.12.23

Location: Between Lewes and Kingston, East Sussex

Rachael’s story:

I was running on my own without a dog on a public right of way. I saw some bullocks on the hill. They appeared very restless and were locking horns and sparring. Despite giving them a very wide berth, a large horned bullock ran at me, stopped two feet in front of me, snorting and pawing the ground. It was terrifying. I honestly think I’d have been attacked if I hadn’t looked away and very slowly walked whilst making soothing noises. I heard it following me, still angry and snorting but eventually it got bored and turned back. I was very scared and have reported this incident to the local authority.

A collection of frightening spoiled walks by cattle

Incident number: 760

Response number: 289,034,458

31^st May 2023

Location: Brown Knowl Cheshire

Two of us were walking on a public right of way with no dogs. When getting within 50 metres of a bullock which was in a herd of other bullocks, it started to growl (it really sounded like a lion!) It lowered its head and got closer (we were luckily on the other side of the gate) and started to scrape its hoof along the floor. There was no way I would enter this footpath with this bullock displaying this aggressive behaviour. The rest of the bullocks look confused by this one’s behaviour. Unfortunately if you entered the field at the other end via the footpath you would find this bullock and would have no way of escaping it without injury via a barbed wire fence.

Slothgirl says “Farmers being held accountable for dangerous livestock and being separated from footpaths. Cows are large animals and should not be in places with footpaths or at least separated by an electric fence.”

Incident number: 765

Response number: 289,134,527

Date: 27/8/2023

Timberhill Farm & Farmers Farm, Dymock, Gloucestershire

Two of us were walking with our dog on a lead on the Daffodil Way. We altered our route when we saw a group of cows in the corner of the field where the footpath was headed. We diverted along a hedge of neighbouring field to bring us out onto a track which was alongside these cows. Whilst we walked along this track, wire fence between us and the cows, the cows were bucking and highly charged, careering at the fence towards us. Had we been in the field with them where the right of way was we both feel we would have been in a highly dangerous position.

Incident number: 775

Response number: 289,959,328

5^th September 2023

Public footpath heading east from Berry Wood, Ashurstwood towards former Stoke Brunswick School Ashurstwood, West Sussex

Two of us were walking with our dog on the lead. We were half way across the field and I had noticed approximately 20 cattle (I think they were red poll) approximately 100 yards away. Whilst still walking they began to charge towards us – as the style was circa 50 yards away we decided to run – with dog still on lead and just got there before the cattle – This was extremely frightening. I had experienced this type of cattle charging at another close by location before – this time I was behind a fence – but knew they were not going to stop hence ran to the style

Stone circle visit abruptly ended by a herd of cows

Incident number: 777

Response number: 290,254,769

28^th August 2023

Glandy Cross (Wales)

My husband and I were looking at the ancient stone circle at Glandy Cross without a dog. There were cows two fields away. One was looking at us and was mooing loudly. I got caught up in looking at the stones and was behind a bush. My husband shouted that it was time to go from further down the field near the gate. I didn’t hear him mention cows but apparently he did but it was a distance away. Not being aware of the danger I strolled back and he started shouting at me to run. I turned and realised that a herd of about15 cows were about ten feet behind me looking agitated. I froze. I climbed on to a low bank to give myself some thinking space when he shouted that there were more cows behind me. I could feel the breath of one on my neck. The cows weren’t advancing. I looked to my husband and the minute I took my eyes off them they quickly advanced another three feet. They were very agitated. I didn’t want to enrage them but needed to do something so I kept eye contact, shouted loudly and backed away slowly. My husband came back into the field to distract them. I moved slowly and they slowly stalked me. When I got near enough to the gate I ran. The minute I did, they charged and I just got through the kissing gate before they came crashing into the fence. I learned that if a cow is mooing aggressively it’s time to go. Also, it seemed that my running was a trigger for the final charge.

Zepmum says “I heard today that an ex colleague of mine was attacked by a cow a few days ago. She suffered a broken pelvis and had to be airlifted. She was with her husky and a dog but I don’t know any more details yet.”

Thank goodness the cows stopped their charge!!!

Incident number: 772

Response number: 289,529,493

29^th August 2023

Near the village of Gotherington (GL52 9QX)

The local farmer has a herd of cows in the lower field near the railway line, and as the day continues they migrate up to the top field. It is a large field with two footpaths leading through it. I was walking my dog on a lead and at some distance to the cows, as I took a wide berth allowing them plenty of space. Both the exit points to the field were blocked by the cows so I waited some time for them to move away. I was there for some time until I made the decision to try and pass by safely. I proceeded slowly with caution and allowed them time to see me. (all the time the dog was on a lead.) I got halfway down the hill when one cow on my right at quite a distance saw me and started mooing. The cows behind me started mooing as well and started to run down towards me. The cow on my right took speed and charged at me running up the hill very fast. I was surrounded. I had no way of escaping. I stood with my arms out (like a starfish) and shouted and cried at full volume. The cows behind me running and mooing in great distress. The cow on my right is still in full charge mode. I continued to scream and wave my arms around, and she stopped within 10 feet of me. I slowly reversed up the hill keeping a close eye on all the cows who had surrounded and I managed to get some distance from them and get out of danger. I then had a much longer walk around and along a dangerous main road to get home safely. My neighbour kindly came and found me halfway back home as I was in great distress. There are many skid marks in the grass indicating what had happened if you need any photographic evidence. This has happened before to my son and after speaking to other members of the public who have had similar situations.

I reported to Heath and Safety Executive and they are investigating.

Ben was lucky to be fit and able to run and wants paths to be safe for other walkers.

Incident number: 771

Response number: 289,519,286

30^th August 2023

The Goyt valley, Romiley

I was walking alone without a dog for an evening walk and headed down a public footpath from Overdale Road to Dark Lane (Goyt Valley). I saw that cows were on the field where they had not usually been seen. I walked a bit more slowly and was under the impression they would leave me alone. As the field path became a wooded path and then went down a relatively steep embankment ,(I was almost completely past them) I noticed a black cow in my peripheral vision come charging at me from behind. I quickly ran down part of the embankment to hide behind a tree. The cow waited at the ridge above and continued looking towards me. By this point it was essentially off the field and on the wooded path. I weighed up my options: I could probably have climbed the tree as I am active and climb a lot, but didn’t know where to go from there. In the end I ran further down the embankment with a view to hide behind another tree further away. I judged (I don’t know how accurately) the cow would have a difficult time running down the steep incline, and there were several other trees to barrier the way. Once it became clear the cow was not following me I ran to the style and got onto the fenced path as quickly as possible. I thankfully came out with no injuries but was extremely lucky to have caught the cow charging at me from the edges of my vision. Once home and safe I shared a laugh at my own expense with my family about having been charged at whilst out for a peaceful stroll, but it was honestly one of the most frightening experiences of my life – I have very little experience with cattle and didn’t know the right thing to do. I’ve told my family not to go down that field if they see cows on it as I know they frequent that route, however it is a public right of way! I’ve since done some Googling on how to safely traverse fields of cattle as I was quite ignorant of any danger. I was fortunate to be near the edge of the field and something of a viable escape route, if I had been charged at earlier on in the open field I would probably have fared a lot worse.

Ben says “I’d just like the route to be safe for walkers.”