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John was nearly killed by cows, HSE decide that a few signs will make this safe for future walkers.

Report: 1284

Date: 02/08/21

Location: Todmorden, West Yorkshire. On footpath from East Whirlaw Farm to Style Road. Approximate map reference 255 936 on OS Map OL21

Single careful walker, no dog

John’s report: “I skirted around a group of cows as I walked downhill, but a number of the calves started to follow me. After that the cows started to run towards me and as I stumbled and fell , one or two cows trampled on me. I managed to phone my wife who came to assist me with our brother-in-law. My sister-in-law went to the farmer’s house and asked him to move the cattle. He was very reluctant, saying that it was his son’s job. He was only persuaded to move them when the air ambulance said that it would be dangerous to land with the cattle in such close proximity.”

Continue reading “John was nearly killed by cows, HSE decide that a few signs will make this safe for future walkers.”
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A broken arm after being headbutted by cow near to Exeter canal at Turf Lock

Incident number: 1285

Date of incident: 04.07.26

Location: Exminster footpath 3, between RSPB land and the Exeter Canal at Turf Lock.

Status: Group of walkers (between 3 and 5) with no dog on PRoW

Roger’s account of the incident

“We were walking back to the RSPB footpath, ant 8pm, after a meal at the Turf pub. The path crosses a field, but is not marked at that point. There was a small herd of cows in the field, which we had already passed once earlier, on our way to the pub. We tried to avoid the cows, but they came running over to us. We continued around the edge of the field, shouting and waving at the cows, to keep them away. But one of them walked up to a woman in our group, and head butted her to the ground. She got up, realised that her arm was broken, and ran with the other two of us to the gate, where we escaped. We returned back to our car and I drove to Exeter hospital, where the arm was x rayed and set in a cast. The following week, she had an operation to set the broken bones and insert a plate, to aid recovery.

We reported the incident to the landowners, the pub, the Council, the police, and the Health and Safety Executive.”

Coastal path is closed to walkers because of dangerous cattle

CeredigionLlanrhystud (21 day emergency closure from 15 October 2026)Presence of dangerous cattle on the path near Tregynan, Llanrhystud.enuntil 05-11-2026

Above is the detail given for the emergency closure of a section of the coast path in Wales. The decision was taken by Ceredigion County Council according to press reports, but there is no report of an attack or incident on the Ceredigion Council’s website, or anywhere else we can find. There is nothing about this closure on the councils website, no mention of it in recent meetings. It is interesting and concerning that walkers have to be rerouted rather than the farmer removing their dangerous cattle and concerning there is no written explanation of the way this decision was made.

The map is the proposed rerouting posted on the Welsh Coastal Path site – but it’s not clear to follow, it doesn’t show all the path and there are accounts on Facebook of walkers getting lost trying to follow it.

The farmer has been granted 21 days to do this. That decision falls heavily on the side of the farmer and sends a message to other farmers along the route – yes, it’s fine to shove as many cows along the path as you want, they’ll just close the path!!

The coastal path is promoted heavily – it brings tourists to spend their money locally. How about a policy that responds to a dangerous threat by fining the farmer and making fences mandatory?

Coast Path closed near Llanrhystud over dangerous cattle | Western Telegraph

3 reports of aggressive cattle

Incident No: 1319
Date: 14.08.26
Site: 51.6221725, -2.5476959 Near Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
1 cow, 1 walker, no dog
Description: “I was going to walk across the field, it was open with no warning signs. A cow was staring at me, I didn’t think much about it and just kept my distance. It took a few steps towards me so I gave it a wider berth. I then see it galloping towards me, so I run for the exit and make it out just in time. I’m still shook, I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Incident No: 1320
Date: 28.9.26
Site: Fauls near Hodnet Shropshire
Group of cows, with heifers and bullocks, 2 walkers, no dog
Description: “We were walking in the footpath from Fauls Church across a farm field, on a public right of way. The cows charged across the field and blocked the foot path. Several scraping their hooves on the ground getting ready to charge.”

Incident No: 1321
Date: 17.10.26
Site: Footpath leaving Torbryan heading to Broadhempston, South Devon. ///plausible.convey.ponies
Group of bullocks, 2 walkers with dog
Description: “The dog was initially on a lead. As we crossed the field the bullocks became interested in the dog so we let her off the lead. The bullocks came towards us and the dog, we tried to shoo them off, but they ignored us. 2 of them lunged at the dog and chased the dog and my wife over the stile, then they stayed against the stile staring up at the dog and blocking my path. I was separated and had to backtrack out of the field and find an alternative route.”

Comment from Cattle Safety: Detailed above are 3 recent incidents of aggressive cattle. Each should be regarded as a near miss, and so should be treated seriously and reported to the Health and Safety Executive, the link can be found here Report an Incident – Cattle Safety Cattle are huge animals and their behaviour can be difficult to predict, they have the potential to cause awful injuries – thank goodness these reporters were not injured. (Readers note the different types of cattle and the presence or absence of dogs make little difference here.)

Experienced rider meets aggressive cows at Timberscombe Common

ncident No: 1318
Date: 13.10.26
Site: Timberscombe Common, Timberscombe near Minehead, Somerset
1 horse, 1 pony and rider. Group of cows.

Sophie’s Report : “I was hacking my horse back along the bridleway across the centre of the common towards the village, when the cows saw me and charged at me. My horse and the pony I was leading bolted. I managed to pull them up and span round shouted and tried using my whip to stop them, they slowed down.”

Continue reading “Experienced rider meets aggressive cows at Timberscombe Common”

Normal route, same cows – this time was dangerous

Report Number: 1315
Date: 29/09/26
Location: South Mundham at the bottom of Fisher Lane, West Sussex
Group of black and white cattle, single walker with dog on lead


Alice’s Report: “As I was walking on the path towards the exit of the field the cows were a fair distance from me. I have walked this route many times and not had a problem but this particular day there was one cow that jumped up and as he landed back on the ground it gave the other cows the get go to all start charging towards me and the dog. I tried to get away but the way the cows were scattered they had surrounded me from all angles and were all charging at me so quickly I was trapped. A few were jumping as they got closer and the only thing I could do to save myself was to throw myself into a big thorn bush that was behind me and I buried myself as far as I could with the dog. I was trapped there and the cows were pushing their heads into the bush and wouldn’t leave me or the dog alone. I was absolutely terrified because if I hadn’t got into the bush I could have been trampled to death. I was completely trapped in the thorns, it was very painful and was in there sometime before help arrived. My brother eventually arrived in the car and drove it into the field and managed to drive up to the cows revving the engine to slowly get them to back off so I could safely get into the car and home. This whole experience I found very traumatic and will never walk into a field of cows again.”
Alice comments: “I feel very strongly that nobody should enter a field of cattle . After this incident I genuinely felt I was going to die and the absolute terror that came over me in a matter of seconds . Until this happened I just did not grasp how badly things can go and how quickly.”

3 incidents – Different counties, different cattle, with and without dog

Each report below details a moment when walkers proceeding along public footpaths were confronted by cattle. Each must be regarded as a near miss as any close encounter can cause awful injuries.

Nicky dropped the lead when the bullocks charged and they ran after the dog allowing her to escape unharmed. Matt was chased by a group of heifers and luckily managed to escape (although it was a mucky and tricky exit.) Heidi’s dog ran off and the cows weren’t interested in chasing her dog – they rammed into Heidi, attacking her several times. These cattle were Belted Galloway – the breed that are used a lot by NT and the Wildlife Trust as they are supposed to be less aggressive!

So the recommendations by others to let your dog off its lead may or may not help you.

All types of cattle, even supposed “gentle” breeds can be aggressive.

Giving the cattle a wide berth and keeping dogs on short leads doesn’t appear to help in these occasions.

Even if you have no dog cattle can harass you. There are recommendations out there suggesting running will only make the cattle more interested in you. But faced by a herd of cows hurtling towards you would you wait and see?

We agree with Heidi, but go one step further – Cows should not be allowed on public footpaths.

Report number: 1309
Date: 22/9/26
Location: Banks of the river Wey on a widely used footpath (between Broadway and Radipole, Dorset)
Group of bullocks, single walker, dog on lead initially
Nicky’s Report: “Bullocks started charging across the field, others began to follow. I had to drop the lead and let the dog run or we would have been crushed. The dog escaped unharmed.”

Report number: 1314
Date: 04/09/26
Location: 51.643340,-2.518658 Rockhampton, Vale of Berkeley, Somerset
Group of heifers, 2 walkers, no dog
Matt’s Report: “Group of heifers chased us from a public footpath. We had to sprint and climb onto a pile of muck and into another field to escape.”

Report number: 1316
Date: 02/10/26
Location: Yarm, Stockton Upon Tees, North Yorkshire
Belted Galloway cows with bull, small group of walkers with dog on lead initially
Heidi’s Report: “We were walking wide of the cows when they started to surround me with my dog. Dog was distressed and slipped her leash. I was rammed from behind 3 times, my dog had run off at this point. Continued to harass me twice more but didn’t knock me over.” Heidi comments – “Cows that have attacked before not be allowed on public bridleways.”

Rachel and crew saved by horses

Report: 1310

Date: 04/09/26

Location: Mount Pleasant, Upton Cheyney, Nr Bristol

Cows with calves in the field

Small group of walkers with dog on lead

Rachel’s Report: “We walked past the cows ( around 30-50) on the footpath slowly, taking a wide birth around them. When we were about 10 metres past them they started following us, after a few minutes they started charging us. We let the dog off but he stayed with us. We were between the cows and a high fence with barbed wire. We kept walking, they charged and we turned round and shouted at them. They stopped so we kept walking then the cows charged again.”

“On the 3rd charge 2 horses ran over from the far side of the field and stood between us and the cows. The cows stopped charging. We kept walking to try and get to a hole in the fence. After about 20 metres the cows charged again. The horses galloped over again and stopped them. This continued until we left the field. About 10-13 mins of being chased by them.”

Rachel’s Comment: “Herds that big should not be on public rights of way. When cows in front of the charge stopped, the cows behind slammed into them, pushing them into us. If the horses had not come between us we would have been seriously injured.”

Family group with no dog cornered by cattle

Report: 1308

Date: 13/09/26

Location: Old Grange Farm, Longton, Lancs. ///aboard.cornfield.pays

Family group with children, no dog

Group of bullocks and cows – large beef cattle

Worried walker’s Report: “The footpath we were following was shown on OS to go through Old Grange farm near Longton Lancs, but it had been diverted round it, through a field.

On entering the field the cows began walking then running to us, splitting into 2 groups. I shouted and flapped to scare them away however they began running towards us on both fence lines, effectively blocking our path. Luckily we had stayed next to the farm fence and were able to go into the farmyard via a gate and rejoin where the footpath was marked on the OS map.”

Comment: “Beef cattle especially bullocks to kept away from footpaths. My 12 year is already petrified of even a field of completely disinterested cows, we will struggle to walk through them in future even taking precautions. This field joins the Ribble Way and so is a major footpath.”

Kate escapes over a barbed wire fence – 2nd attack in this area

Report: 1307

Date: 13/09/26

Location: High Stool Farm, Flagg, Derbyshire

Single walker with dog on a lead

Group of beef cattle, bullocks and calves

Kate’s report: “I was walking along a public foot path through a field with a stile at either end during a circular route. A bullock started charging and stamping feet, I threw my dog over a drystone wall into a gap between the wall and a barbed wire fence. I had fallen on the ground as I was trying to escape and the bullock kept coming at us so had to go over the barbed wire fence causing injury to both myself and my dog.”

Comment: “Paths to be diverted away from danger.”

Cattle Safety comments: there was a serious attack in this vicinity last year – see our post Derbyshire cow attack knocks man unconscious – Cattle Safety

Miley and his wife have to wade across a stream to escape cattle.

Incident number 1305
Date: 30.08.26
Site: Public footpath alongside of Egglestone Abbey near Barnard Castle. County Durham.
Bull with cows and calves (Comment: very large brown cattle with small horns.)
2 walkers with dog on a lead.

Miley’s Report: “We were walking from woods towards grasslands alongside Egglestone Abbey. This was the only route back to the gate onto the road where we started. We had already passed in one direction with no sign of cattle. On route back across the grassland there was a large group of brown cattle grazing near the stream; they were blocking access to the footbridge our path went over. Myself, wife and our dog on a lead walked around the outside of the cattle. The cattle moved to surround us on either side, making loud noises and moving towards us. I picked our dog up and started walking quickly to make an escape, the cattle followed and, as our access to the footbridge was still blocked by cows and calves, we had to cross the stream to escape. My wife was petrified. This was a very scary experience. On exiting the gate onto Abbey Lane we noticed a very small sign on the gate saying ‘Livestock present’. I would urge larger signs be installed to warn walkers whilst young calves, cows and bulls are present. We would not have entered this public footpath if we knew they were there. A very dangerous ordeal that could have ended in serious injury, I consider ourselves very lucky.”

Cattle Safety comment:

So glad you’re OK! Yes we also believe you are fortunate to not have been injured in that situation. We hope you inform HSE about this Report an Incident – Cattle Safety contact us on cows.safety.group@gmail.com. We noticed a report of cows blocking the way on the OS map, unsure if that was you or another poor walker.

Cows chase walkers AGAIN on Sussex Ouse Valley way

Incident number 1303
Date: 31.5.26
Site: Between Lewes and Hamsey on the river footpath BN7
I dog, on a lead, 2 walkers

Description: “Chased by cows on footpath, not for the first time here but very scary. Our dog froze in panic making getting away from cows near impossible.
We reported it to the council who have replied saying they’ll be there for months, really uninterested in them chasing us – don’t know who else to tell but it’s very scary and it’s our daily walk so feel very cross!”
Comment: “I would LOVE the cows to be behind a fence and not on the footpath!! How do we do that?”

Cattle Safety comment: This report highlights the problems with reporting issues on walking paths to councils. The person receiving the report is not trained to recognise a Health and Safety “near miss” and so ignores this report. Unfortunately these cows will continue to pester and chase people if nothing is done and then a serious accident could occur. Yes – walkers are instructed to report incidents to the footpath officer on a council – but, in our experience, doing that rarely achieves anything. Informing the Health and Safety Executive may achieve something as these people are trained in H&S.

Cows with calves roaming freely around Hare Hill

Incident number 1301
Date: 24.05.26
Site: Roughly this: What3words:Punctuate.Otter.Fronted. Near Over Alderley, Hare Hill permissive path.
1 dog on lead, 3 walkers.

RH’s report: “We were just walking and suddenly a group of cattle burst out of a field (from nowhere) and moved around us, not charging but getting quite close, agitated and shifting around restlessly with their calves. Some were starting to move from foot to foot/gently stamp their feet and bellow. We as calmly as possible moved through. I panicked, and I completely understand it is a permissive path, but obviously lots of walkers go through that area and cows especially with calves probably should be kept away. They watched us go but I still felt scared.”

“There were warning signs present, they said what to do if approached by cows (with and without calves) and not to let dogs poo in the parkland because it can spread disease to the cows. It said that the farmer had been using the land for generations and that was all good.”

RH adds a comment: “I would just like a fence put around pathways and to keep mother cows/cows in general away from walkers. However I do understand fields have to be rotated.”

Rachel is cornered by aggressive cattle near Buxton

Incident number 1299
Date: 21.08.26
Site: Footpath across the ridge of Taxal Moor, in the Goyt Valley near Buxton, Derbyshire
Single walker, no dog

Rachel’s report: I was walking on a footpath across open access moorland with a wall to my immediate left. A few cows were coming down the path in the opposite direction. I considered turning around but as I was deliberating they started to skirt me to the right so I was able to continue down the path. However a few more cows then came over the brow of the hill and they had calves with them. I could no longer retreat because the other cows were behind and to the
right. I climbed the wall and sat on it while the cows passed. It’s a good job I did because the cows were very aggressive towards me even on top of the wall. They were stomping and snorting and shaking their heads at me. I was stuck on the wall for just over half an hour.

Rachel eventually escaped unhurt but was badly shaken.