Report: “Half the group, including a dog on a lead, walked through the field with no incident. We all gave the cows and calves a wide berth.
2 of the party were further behind with another dog on a lead. One cow spotted the second dog and became extremely aggressive. The walkers backed away and let go of the dog. The cow charged at the dog and chased it until it ran out of the field. The walkers managed to get out of that field without being hurt but it was close to being an incident with injury. We then had to find an alternative way for them to reach the village out if sight of the cows.
I will be reporting to this to the Local authority, but it is not easy to find out how to report these incidents. I don’t think cows and calves should be put in fields with public footpaths, the risks are too high.”
Location: A field just off of Church Road in Cheltenham Gloucestershire, part of the Cotswold Way
3 people, 2 dogs
Report: “The cows were all the way on the far side of the field away from the gate that we were walking towards. We entered the field and started walking towards the next gate which would take us into the next field (without cows) to continue along the Cotswold Way. The cows started staring at us and flicking their tails, we kept calm, our dogs were kept on leads the whole time, they were not provoking or paying attention to the cows. The cows started to walk over slowly, we became a bit wary of this.
We almost got to the next gate and one cow started charging at me. Our group unfortunately split because we panicked and ran a bit away from it. We were now far from exit routes within the field and started to calmly walk back to the nearest one, the dogs still were not provoking it or doing anything to rile the cows. Then out of nowhere they charged at us, and there were around 20 cows in this field; they all started charging, the three of us got split, one of us ran towards the original exit and the other two of us ran other ways. All of these cows were suddenly charging towards one person, and luckily her and her dog got out of the gate, if she had been 3 seconds slower they would have trampled her and as there were so many of them I think the outcome would have been bad.
I luckily scrambled under a barbed wire fence into the second field as there was no way I could have walked safely out from that field. The third person managed to scramble over a fence because they didn’t have a dog. The cows stayed waiting at the fence staring at us.”
Location On footpath on the outskirts of Aldbury, Hertfordsire, England
I person, 1 dog – on lead
Account “I was on my usual early morning dog walk that includes a field that had recently had a herd of black cows put in it. I’d been nervous of walking through it ever since, but a friend persuaded me cows are completely harmless and we walked through together and she demonstrated how to make my arms wide and make a loud strange noise if I felt threatened by them, which would warn them away.
Location On PROW immediately after gate from Swinburns Park Estate near Watermillock, Cumbria
People 2, no dog
Account “We stopped walking as soon as we saw the cows on the path in front of us. The cows were single file walking up the path. The lead cow was dappled grey colour and as soon as it saw us it bellowed loudly and started walking towards us followed by the rest of the herd all making loud bellowing noises. We had no option to turn and run for our lives back to the gate. Once we were on the other side of the gate the grey cow had moved off the path into the tall ferns and saw us over the stone wall and came running towards us bellowing.” Respondent suggests that the following may help: “Warning signs on the path and preferably get the pathway fenced off from the grazing area.”
Location: On PROW between Germoe and Porthleven, Cornwall. WtW – ample.lateral.dreamers
I person and 1 dog
Group of bullocks
Lottie’s account “I was following a marked footpath, my dog was on a lead. There were no signs about cows. I entered the field and then went along the path to an opening on the path which joins to the next field. In that field were bullocks who quickly stood up and came towards me. I felt I couldn’t escape so I stood on a wall and had to call for help. The farmer arrived after 15 minutes and shouted at me saying it was my fault for entering a field with cows when I had a dog. He lead the cows away so I could walk out of the field. My dog is safe with livestock. There are no signs warning that over 20 bullocks are on the footpath, there is no safe place to escape them and they surrounded us.”
This is an article that was published in Farmers Weekly and written by one of COWS members, Dr Jerry Alderson, who was asked to write it after appearing on a Farmers Weekly podcast.
Imagine this. You are in your local town, about to use a footpath across a patch of grass which you have used many times before. At the path entrance is a new sign stating ‘DANGER’. There is no explanation. The path was never signposted. Neither has it been closed. No alternative route is offered. What would you do?
Surely the local council would keep you safe, if they were concerned? Is this a hoax? You may feel frustrated that your way is effectively blocked by a danger you cannot see and don’t understand. Would an alternative route take you into more danger, or on to private land? Should you risk it, or walk away?
This may seem far-fetched, but walkers in the countryside are faced with dilemmas like this every day.
Rights of way are exactly that – a RIGHT to pass. Nothing more, nothing less. These highways are often ancient, predating the enclosure act and private farmland as we know it.
I am a former farm-worker, now a GP, landowner and lifelong walker. I am a staunch supporter of British farming and the need to strengthen and improve UK food self-sufficiency. I believe that these two interests can peacefully co-exist.
Farms can be dangerous – look at the annual death toll published by HSE. Whilst a land occupier (owner or tenant) may not automatically owe a duty of care to users of a right of way crossing their land, any injury to such a user resulting from negligent or dangerous practices could lead to prosecution.
It is an OFFENCE to block or even discourage the lawful use of a right of way. Non-specific warning signs implying ‘danger’ could be used by unscrupulous occupiers to discourage use. Regularly keeping cattle in fields crossed by a right of way without any form of mitigation of the potential danger – fencing for example – seems reckless. Recent research published by killercows.co.uk shows that ALL cattle have the potential to be dangerous despite current HSE guidance.
Making it difficult to use a right of way so that it falls into disuse does not remove the right of way and will likely lead to walkers finding their own, less suitable, way across your land.
Most walkers do not intend to trespass, damage crops or injure livestock. But neither do they have the in-depth appreciation of the potential dangers on your farm that you have. Subconsciously, they are relying on the presumed professionalism of you, the land occupier, to keep them safe by identifying or mitigating any dangers. ONLY YOU CAN DO THIS.
Most land occupiers do not want the death or injury of a member of the public on their conscience.
Wouldn’t it be in everyone’s interests to assist walkers to move efficiently and safely along rights of way crossing farmland, by ensuring that signposting is clear, unambiguous and undamaged, paths unobstructed and gates and stiles well maintained? Clearly identifying dangers adjacent to paths, such as working machinery and slurry-pits, also makes sense. Where fields containing a right of way regularly contain livestock – the erection of a stock fence keeps livestock away from people, and dogs away from livestock. For temporary separation of livestock and people, an electric fence may be more versatile.
If you are not responsible for footpath maintenance on your land, suggesting these measures to the relevant authority would make sense. You know your land better than anyone, after all.
Returning to our original scenario – how useful do you think a sign saying ‘bull in field’ really is? It neither removes the danger nor offers an alternative. SURELY, WE CAN DO BETTER!
Account “I was suddenly surrounded and tried to pull the dog in but then it all kicked off. I don’t remember everything but was I knocked onto the ground and eventually let go of the lead when I realised I was in real trouble. I remember being butted while on the ground but don’t actually remember how I get away. I had 3 broken ribs, facial injuries, leg injuries and was kept in hospital for 1 week.”
Respondent also states “Don’t put crazy cows in open access areas.”
Location: On PROW near High Stool Farm, Flagg, Derbyshire – WTW – cloud.carpeted.bluffs
2 people, 2 dogs
Cows with calves
Account “We entered the field on the right of way. Our dogs were on a close lead. The cows started running towards us. One charged at my husband and knocked him to the ground. He was unconscious for sometime. Cows were headbutting his head. I ran back and made myself big and loud to try and keep the cows away. My husband finally came to and he struggled to the next field. He had a very swollen face, black eye, and substantial bruising. He was admitted to hospital for his injuries. We discovered in hospital he had 3 broken vertebrae in his lumber spine and bruised/broken ribs he was in hospital overnight and is still under hospital care. This has been reported to the police and local authority.”
Respondent also states “The trauma for me was unbelievably awful. I thought my husband was dead and the incident has seriously impacted my walking confidence and seriously impacted my husbands health”
Account “We were walking with my dogs on leads, who are country dogs used to cattle, no barking or stress from the dogs, with my 21 year old son. We walked past the cattle with no problems then one of the cows closed in, then charged me, butted one of my legs that knocked me over, then bucked it’s rear legs up like a horse. I managed to get up. The other 10 cattle then began to follow us as we started to leave the field. We raised our arms shouting – we were afraid, as they all were closing in and we were in the middle of the field, they then dispersed after we shouted. I used to live on a dairy farm and am used to cattle but I’ve never seen behaviour like this before. There were signs warning of a bull in the field – but there was no bull. I’ve reported this to the farmer.”
Respondent also states “There should be warning signs on gates with contact numbers to report any incident and ideallybanning cows from public footpath sites”
Location: On PROW in Potten End, Hertfordshire between Water End Road and Hempstead Lane.
Family group, no dog
Cows with calves in field
Account “We were walking to the Mad Squirrel brewery last Saturday afternoon around 3pm. There were 4 adults, 2 toddlers and one baby. We had two buggies (fortunately). My friends who live in Potten End have had no problems when walking this route in the past however on this day, a number of cows were in the bushes to the side of the path and as we were walking along the path and closer towards their direction, they started to approach and surround us. We continued walking but became quite fearful with how aggressive and intimidating they were. In the end, we managed to get past them but they kept trying to charge at us and move off at the last moment. We managed to get to the end of the path and throw the children over the fence whilst one adult in our group had to swing a pushchair continuously to prevent them from coming closer towards us. They continued to progress and once the rest of the adults had got through the gate, he ran and threw the buggy over the fence before the cow could reach him. Needless to say, we were covered in cow faeces due to throwing the buggies over the fences after wheeling through whatever was in the field due to fearing for our safety.”
Additional comment “More warning signs are needed. Hostile cows like that should not be left in fields where there is a public footpath. We had very young children who were extremely frightened and as parents, we genuinely feared for theirs and our lives.”
Location: On PROW, Near Birchen Lea Farm, Station Rd., Harecroft near Bingley West Yorks
over 10 Ramblers, no dog
Cattle with calves in field
Account: “One cow was actually on the footpath, so we gave the cow a wide berth; the rest of the herd (with calves) was a little way off. The single cow charged at myself and another person as we tried to walk around it. We quickly ran to the stone boundary wall whilst other people in our Ramblers walking group persuaded it to move away allowing us to pass. This was a terrifying experience.”
Additional comment: “Cows with calves should not be in a field with a public footpath or the path should be fenced off from cattle.”
This attack has been reported to the local council and HSE
Incident number 1146 Date of incident: 21.06.25 Site: What3words: ///pinch.infringe.builders (Ellesborough, Aylesbury) Cows with calves in field. 1 walker, no dog
Steve’s Description: “I was walking towards Ellesborough Church when a large, completely black cow ran at me, head down, knocking me over before I could reach the gate. I fell onto a hard chalk path, knocked my head above my right eye, I had a cut to my knee and grazes to my legs and arms, and to add insult to injury covered in something unmentionable.”
Additional comment from Steve: “I have walked and hiked many hundreds of miles though woods, farmland and mountains and this is my first experience of cows acting aggressively. I’m so pleased I found your website to report it. Good luck with your campaign.”
Cattle Safety 