Risborough Walker

Walker charged at by a large herd of cows

Report number: 1110
Response ID: 314,619,335
Date of incident: 20/05/25
Location: ///rabble.trials.admiral Near Keynsham, Somerset. A public footpath crossing a field from Hanham Abbots to Willsbridge
Single walker, no dog, group of cows

Report: “Whilst using the public right of way that crosses the middle of this field, I spotted a large herd of cows at the far side of the field when I crested the hill. At the same time, some cattle at the far side of the herd spotted me and started running towards me. The rest of the herd joined in and I ended up fleeing to the edge of the field pursued by forty to sixty cows, making it over a gate just in time to avoid being trampled. There were no notices or warning signs at either entrance to the field.”

Additional comment: “The best solution would be that the farmer keeps their cattle in a field not used by the general public. Alternatively, they could reroute the footpath to the field edges and fence it off from the cows. As a bare minimum, warning signs should be fitted to the gates at either end of the field.”

The sign warned not suitable for dogs – but it was not safe for walkers

Report number:1109 England
Response ID: 314,585,333

Date of incident: 19/05/2025
Location: Between St Dogmael’s and Cippyn, North Pembrokeshire. What three words: ///received.indulges.sparrows
2 walkers, no dog, group of bullocks

Report: “We were on a public footpath crossing a field, I noticed a group of young cows in the shade, it was a rather warm sunny day, all the cattle were facing away from us at we set across field to the gate on the public footpath. As we walked across the field we were chatting and I didn’t notice exactly at what point we caught their attention but suddenly they were all facing us and coming towards us at a walk then a gentle accelerating run. We were still a few hundred meters from the exit gate, it was definitely further than we could get to before the cattle reached us, so I stopped and shouted at them and waved a stick which worked for a moment, they paused but then one or two started walking then running again. It was really scary, we sprinted for the gate and got over just in time. I feel like we would have been crushed had we been with slower people, kids, elderly infirm etc or had we not noticed them approaching and distracted them for a moment to give us time, we were very frightened.”

Additional comment: “There was a sign warning cows in field, not suitable for dogs. I would like clearer guidance as to what to do and farmers not keeping dangerous cows in fields with public footpaths. I think some farmers do it intentionally to put off walkers.”

Carol and her child had to escape via barbed wire and nettles

Incident number: 1108
Response ID 314,539,408
Date of incident: 17/05/2025
Location: Beal, Goole, River Aire bank

Incident report: I was walking along the footpath with my 10 year old child and my dog on a lead. Cows were on top of river bank, we were on the lower part of the river bank with the dog quietly on the lead. The cows came running at us.

I let the dog off the lead & he ran off & most of the cows followed, we ran to the barbed wire fence. Our dog came back to us & the cows came running & kicking out at us! My 10 year old climbed through the barbed wire which had already been stretched (possibly by someone else trying to escape from the cattle?) I then had to climb through & stand in a ditch full of nettles & brambles hoping the cows would go away. They didn’t so I had to trample the way through with both of us getting stung severely! We then had to make our way through a corn field back to the path. My 10 year old is very distraught!

Nia is surrounded by cattle and very scared

Report number: 1107
Response ID 314,533,472
Date of Incident: 16/05/2025
Location: Bridge, Portreath parish, Cornwall

Nia’s Incident report: “We were in the village of Bridge in Portreath Parish, Cornwall. As you pass the pub there is a hill on your right side that leads to a public foot path through a narrow path with a steep incline either side. You go through a gate to access the footpath and to get out there is a gate at the other end. There was not a sign to say cows were in the field.

We were two women with a small dog on a leash. The dog is not bothered by other animals it just ignores everything. All of a sudden we saw about 4 cows on the high part of the field looking down at us. We were approximately half way down the path when we were completely surrounded by the cows. We walked single file and calmly to the next gate. Some ran toward us and some blocked our path to the gate. We had to manoeuvre around them to get out. They seemed to be very inquisitive and sniffing us and the dog.

We manged to get out safely but it was a scary experience. Knowing all the stories of killer cows. Even seeing the first 4 cows we could not have double backed to go out the way we came, as we were bombarded by them all within a split second. They did not harm us but I was scared.”

Nia adds – “If I was aware of the cows being there before I took this route. I would have avoided it. I would like to know why the farmer does not put up a sign to say cows on the footpath.”

Lone walker attacked on the Cornish Coast path

Report Number: 1105

Response ID 314,442,735

Date of incident: 13/05/2025

Lone walker, no dog

Site of incident: Near Cows Beach, South West Coast Path, near Mawnan, Cornwall. What3words location: https://w3w.co/fuzz.paying.connected

Incident report from Robin: I was enjoying the view of the ocean and then became aware of a cow stampeding towards me very aggressively, I put my arms out as it barged into me, I was shoved through barbed wire, rather than being pinned to it and crushed I had no choice but to scramble 10ft down a sheer cliff face full of brambles. I gripped onto roots but most of them gave way. I was stuck as the brambles covered a cliff face full of loose rocks! I was absolutely terrified! The cows stood at the top looking over at me as I struggled. I tried to shoo them away but it didn’t work. I had to perch on a gorse root above 40 foot or more of cliff, I was worried that a cow would fall on top of me. After more than 1 hour they moved slightly on and were distracted by other people walking past on the other side of the field, I then climbed out and escaped, scared that they would charge again.

Comment: I was traumatised, with bruising from being bumped by cow, with cuts from the barbed wire and brambles, mud and slate dust in eyes and a strained back! I think that there should be a fenced off area to prevent the cows walking onto the public footpath!

CoWS Team Update

COWS team are pushing to increase dialogue about our aims (notably the fencing off of footpaths from cattle) and since we live in different parts of England and Wales we are having zoom meetings to discuss our plans and talk about how to proceed.

So what are we doing?

We are notifying people that we now hold an excellent set of statistics on cattle attacks – and our experts should be called upon when asking how people can safely navigate a cattle field. We know cattle attacks are not rare and all near misses should be acted upon so a death or serious injury can be averted. We know that only separation of cows from walkers will keep walkers safe and cows unflustered.

Here’s where we’ve got to thus far –

1) We have sent a copy of our latest briefing (via email) to all senior coroners in England and Wales.

2) We are in the process of contacting (via email) major landowners with a copy of our latest briefing note and notification of any attacks or near misses that have occurred on their land. (This is tricky as we do not always know exactly who’s land the attacks occur on, but where we do know it is very useful information for the land owner.)

3) We are in the process of contacting organisations with sway in the farming world, eg: National Trust Board, The Ramblers, The Forestry Commission, HSE, with the above briefing report. We’ve also contacted the MP’s for agriculture and health and safety.

4) We are actively trying to use media channels to inform, but this is difficult as TV programmes seem to wish to use cattle “experts” who push the mainly useless advice of “respecting the cattle” and letting your dog go/or keeping it on a lead, depending where you are in the trampling process. We know from all your reports there is no safe way to walk through cattle (especially if you are alone or a couple) and dogs only feature in ½ of our reports (and the HSE’s)

5) Everyone who reports to us and agrees to us contacting them (and leaves an email address) is contacted by our team. This is to support those suffering from trauma and also to suggest/encourage them to also notify HSE and the landowner AND their MP – plus any other relevant sites. If we don’t notify them – they will continue to believe nothing needs to change. We also suggest that anyone injured sues the farmer – this is not encouraging money grabbing, many people are out of pocket with lack of salary, physio expenses, cost of necessary home help and need financial help.

6) Additional help is needed – We have many followers on Facebook, our website comes up very quickly now on an internet search, so we are getting more reports – it is wonderful that people are adding to our statistics (not so wonderful that attacks happen though) – more reports = more work for our team, so it would be great to have another member on our team just so when one of us feels a bit poorly, or wants to go on holiday we can without loosing our groups momentum. Send us an email if you can help cows.safety.group@gmail.com

7) You don’t have to be a core group member of COWS to help – here is a link to our latest briefing report https://killercows.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/oct-2024-cows-data-report-1.pdf and if you know anyone suffering a near miss or attack, then send the landowner this plus notice of the attack and suggest they fence off their cattle.

Kathy didn’t realise the cows were in the wood

Response ID 311,528,935
Incident number 1069
Date: 18.12.24
Site: Billingshurst, West Sussex. On a bridleway passing through woodland immediately north of the railway line, east of Rowfold Farm
No dog

Kathy’s account: “I was walking along the bridleway, which passed through an area of woodland, with a field of cows immediately east of it. There was a wire fence between me and the herd along part of the edge of the woodland, but part was open to the field. As soon as I came within sight of the animals there was some deep bellowing. Not like an ordinary mooing. I walked maybe 50metres further up the stretch of woodland, keeping an eye on the animals, because the bellowing got deeper and more animals were calling out to each other. It felt very threatening. Then I realised that there were several cows in the woodland, a couple very big, and that even the field I was aiming for to the top left of the woodland had the same cows in it, and they were all looking at me and moving towards me, making the deep bellowing noises. So I turned back the way I had come and found an alternative route. There is no doubt in my mind that had I carried on, they would have attacked me. The ground was very muddy and it would have been difficult to escape quickly.”

Kathy comments: “A public footpath is a PUBLIC footpath and it’s the responsibility of the landowner to protect users from avoidable harm.”

John Stapp has a lucky escape

Response ID 311,481,216
Incident number 1068
Date: 26.12.24
Site: What3Words location vase.learn.test, on the King Charles III England Coast Path https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/england-coast-path-south-east/trail-information/. Cliffe is a nearby village.
No dog

John’s account: “I was walking alone on a planned circular route, starting and ending at Cliffe. A few hours into the walk I was heading westward, to my left there was a steep earth bank leading to a concrete (or stone) sea wall. Beyond the sea wall was the south bank of the Thames Estuary. I passed a couple with a large dog who were heading in the opposite direction. We exchanged greetings and continued on our way. Shortly afterward, perhaps 10 minutes later, I encountered a small herd of cows. I estimate 10 to 15 of them. The cattle were stationary, with some sitting and others standing. I do not recall seeing any calves.
Having previously experienced charging by a large herd of castrated bulls a couple of years before, I was cautious, moving calmly but staying alert. The cows did not trouble me but one cow did begin to walk towards me after I’d passed the group. However, after some moments it stopped. Given that the couple I’d passed earlier did not mention the cows, and the cows hadn’t behaved in an overtly threatening manner, I figured the cows were likely not troublesome. Nonetheless I reserved some wariness.

My walk progressed, however the circular route I had planned was not waymarked, and this return route passed over wetland, and I didn’t want to risk losing time due to not being able to find suitable crossing points over the various water features. With about 90 minutes of daylight left I made the decision to return to Cliffe the way I came, a much longer route but at least it was clear. I had a headtorch and plenty of food and water, and spare layers and so was not so concerned about walking in the dark.

At the What3Words location provided in this report, I encountered the cows again. They were now moving in a single file approaching me. Not wanting to get too close to them, I stood away from the path, and walked partially up the earth bank that adjoined the sea wall. The lead cow stopped and looked at me, then continued to walk along the path. For a moment I thought all was well, but then the cow started to walk towards me. Fortunately there was a short ladder near me, that I could use to climb over the sea wall. I climbed up a few rungs of this ladder to put some more distance between me and the approaching cow. The cow continued to approach; it had left the path and was now walking up the earth bank. 2 or 3 other cows now also began heading towards me in the same manner. I then climbed onto the top of the sea wall. The cows continued to move up the steep earth bank and now began mooing. I shouted at them and banged my walking sticks together to try and scare them off, but this did not deter them. It was at this point I decided to climb over the sea wall onto the side facing the Thames Estuary and began walking along it. I eventually found another ladder and climbed over over the wall; there were no cows in sight and I continued my way back. It infuriates me this was been my second encounter with aggressive cows on a public right of way. I had a lucky escape. Had I not been near that ladder the outcome could have been different.”

John comments: “Thank you for providing a forum highlighting the issue of aggressive cows, there needs to be more awareness of this issue.”

Roger and his wife are charged at near Oswestry

Response ID 311,461,278
Incident number 1067
Date: 26.10.24
Site: Oswestry. Followed route 4 of the ‘Offa’s Dyke Path Circular Walks’ issued by ‘Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail’ and ‘Shropshire Council Outdoor Recreation’. The incident happened by Gwalia Wood which is point 8 on the route map at about 15:45.
2 walkers, no dog

Roger’s account: “We emerged from Gwalia Wood and went into the field where cows were grazing and actually moving away from us on the far side of the field. After walking just a short distance on a diagonal away from the cows and toward the sign posted exit point, we noticed that several of the cows had spotted us and had turned and were now running toward us closely followed by the rest of the herd (probably numbering about 50 animals). At the speed the cows were running we would not be able to retrace our steps the way we had come. I told my wife to run to our left and toward a closed metal vehicle gate. We reached the gate just as the first cow got to within 10 feet of us and I turned and started shouting and waving my arms to drive them back. This action stopped them long enough to allow us to climb the gate and exit the field before they came crowding around the gate. We followed a farm track, circling the wood back to where we had originally been and eventually getting back onto the published route at the hamlet of Bwlch.”
“My wife was in a terrible state, physically shaking and suffering from arthritis in her knee which after running and gate climbing meant she was in considerable discomfort walking back. We discussed the incident that night in the bar of an Oswestry hotel where we dined and were told by a local that the cows in question were well known for pursuing walkers.”

Roger adds: “The public footpath across the field where we encountered the cows is on a diagonal and on a right to left slope. The ground was very soft and we were effectively on the receiving end of a cavalry charge. It would help if the ‘tourist maps/leaflets’ make mention of the possibility of encountering livestock and to provide clear alternative routes where appropriate.”

Roger supplied the photograph of the herd at the gate following the incident.

Roger and his friends are pushed off their walk by frisky cows.

Response ID 311,460,084
Incident number 1066
Date: 14.10.24
Site: Anglesey Coastal Path from Cemlyn Bay to Carmel Head – Llanfairynghornwy near Carmel Head.
Type of cow: Group of Cows: Freisian dairy
No dog

Roger’s account: “A group of us were walking the Anglesey Coastal path, we were watching seals with pups on the beaches below. Having spent some time watching a mother seal and her pup, we started to make progress towards Carmel Head only to find a recently milked herd of cows making their way onto the headland by Porth Newydd at around 16:35. The herd consisted in excess of 100 cows and these were extremely frisky (jumping on each other’s backs) and moving quickly. The farmer had placed feed in numerous areas both on and to the seaward side of the Coastal Path in an apparent attempt to encourage the cattle to deter users of the path (this practice has been apparent in previous years but with no cattle present on previous walks).
The cattle quickly approached us with some of the cows breaking into a run. It was only because of a ditch that we were able to retreat back across and exit the field through a gate that we’d entered through that we were able to escape their attention. The alternative of a 200 metre sprint to exit the field on the far side was never considered to be practical.”

Roger comments: “Placing cattle food on the coastal path to deter walkers appears to be ‘common practice’, it certainly is not an isolated occurrence. I would like to see the Coastal Path and headland in this area fenced off from the grazing area, as one section of the path we walked earlier, near Hen Borth.”

Roger supplied the photograph of the cows beginning to fill the field.

Child, footpath and boisterous cows!

Response ID 311,442,303
Incident number 1064
Date: 30.11.24
Site: Davenham, ///birds.intruders.storm
Type of cow: Group of bullocks
Dog: On lead at beginning of the incident.

Account: “I was walking with my 5 year old daughter and our Jack Russell terrier along a public footpath through the field. A cow started bucking it’s back legs and snorting at us. I told my five year old to run to the gate and I dropped the dog lead to run behind her. We managed to escape unscathed that day but it was an incredibly scary experience and I now avoid that field if the cows are present. I don’t think cows should be allowed on fields with footpaths.”

Helen is attacked in the Malvern Hills AONB

Response ID 311,395,124
Incident number 1062
Date: 23.04.24
Site: Malvern Hills AONB free access area
No dog

Helen’s account: “A single cow was scratching its head on a public seating bench in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) free access area. I assumed it would be docile in an area where people are invited to sit. I went to take a photo of the cow from about 10-15 feet away, and as I pressed the shutter it was upon me and head butted my left arm & ribcage. My arm was thrown, thankfully I remained upright. The cow left me alone after that and I hastily left the field.”

“Subsequently my left ribcage was very painful to lie on. I attended A&E and they diagnosed possible broken ribs and torn ligaments.”

Additional comment by Helen “Later that day I saw other people taking photos of their friends standing by cows, so I’m not the only person who assumed they would be safe in an area of open access and designated AONB.”