Category: near misses

This happens every summer in this area of Derbyshire

Incident number: 960

Response ID: 306,985,266

Date: Repeated dangers over the past 15 years

Location: New Mills, Derbyshire, SK22 4QE SJ989866 w3w inert.cornfield.games

Simon F’s story

“I’ve not put a date in this report – it’s every summer! We avoid this particular farm from May to November each year because of the aggressive bullocks they keep in the fields. The initial incident occurred when we were walking along a popular local footpath to a bench called Peggy’s Pew. The path crosses the field diagonally and the bullocks approached us, cut off the path and began to charge at us. We half held our ground and half retreated until we were at the field wall, which we then climbed to escape. Since then we enter fields around this farm cautiously and if we see the groups of bullocks approaching we turn round, leave the field and go elsewhere. If we are just doing a local walk with no real itinerary then diverting is possible. But this is not always the case for everyone and not the case for us when we’re further afield. It is not just this farm. It seems cows and bullocks are becoming increasingly aggressive. We have been chased near Whaley Bridge and took refuge in a hawthorn hedge – not sure which farm. We diverted and climbed a fence after finding bullocks blocking the track out the field at Woodends Farm above Wood Lanes near Poynton. In the same area at Platt Wood Farm I’ve left a field where the cows packed it out with no spare space and walked through the field parallel. And I see it on Strava too – runners or walkers having incidents. Last week someone’s walk was cut short by cows (Rocks Farm off Whaley Moor) or last summer someone out with their young daughter in a pushchair had to leap a fence with pushchair to avoid cows. But when you read the sad stories on this website, and given the increasing frequency of incidents, I agree with your campaign’s argument that it should be the farmer that is responsible for stopping these incidents occurring and not blocking footpath access with aggressive cattle.”

I had to throw myself over a barbed wire fence to escape

Incident number: 947

Response ID: 306,981,823

Date: 23.08.24

Location:    Near South Nutfield, Surrey (What 3 Words ///chairing.erase.straddled)

Matt’s Story

“I was walking on my own without a dog. I entered the field through the kissing gate. Group of about 5 cows and possibly calves nearby which ignored me. Went through the field on RoW to discover it was shut by Network Rail at the exit from the field. I returned along the path, one of the cows ran at me and butted me. I had to throw myself over a barbed wire and hawthorn field boundary damaging my clothing and causing numerous deep lacerations to my legs”

Unprovoked near miss Torver Coniston

Incident number: 944

Response ID: 306,806,682

Date: 07.09.24

Location: Public bridleway heading to Torver Coniston.

Imogen’s story

“Me and my partner were walking to a pub, very short walk from where we were staying. The entire way was a public footpath /bridleway. Around halfway into the walk my dog decided to eat something off the ground and get seeds stuck to his face, my partner was only a few feet in front of me so I called him back to help me. After this I looked up to see a cow around 100 meters away from us up a hill and it just came charging at us with no warning, I was panicking but couldn’t get my words out and trying to get to the gate in front of us with my dog and partner. We managed to get to the gate in time and my partner pushed it through it and shut the gate. The cow mooed loudly and walked off. The field clearly had a wall that had fallen down but the cow could have easily got to us. My dog did not bark or make any movements towards the cow and was on a lead the whole time. This was very scary and I am shook up.”

Ali and his friend meet a hostile group of cattle

Report No: 925

Date of Incident: 01/08/24

Location: what 3 words melon.mural.tower – near Marston Montgomery, Derbyshire,

2 People, no dog.

Account: “We were walking down a supposed bridleway with our bikes, but it was completely overgrown so we had to push our bikes. There was a field to our right containing a herd of cattle and they were very unhappy with our presence. They were snorting and taking it in turns to faux charge. We were separated by a single waist high wire which may have saved us. We carried on walking calmly and they all ran about 50m further along the field to wait for us, still snorting and distressed. We stopped to discuss what we should do and they all ran back up to us. We decided we had no option but to walk on an adjacent field away from them and got away unscathed. There were no calves that we could see. We were scared by these cattle; we met some cows further along and they were fine.”

Suggestion from Ali – “The path being maintained would be a start. There could be more robust protection if the cows are known to be aggressive”

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Badly frightened on Shropshire way footpath

Incident number: 919

Response ID: 305,301,407

Date: 29/07/2024

Location: Lydham Shropshire

Sharon’s story:

“We were walking the on the Shropshire Way footpath through a field and the group of cows started charging towards us. It was very frightening. My husband stood in front of them ‘making himself big’ and shouting at them which just gave me time to get to the gate then he ran for the gate. They ran after him.”

Thankfully there were no injuries but the route needs better warning signs

Local lady from Meifod Powys “Cows are quite savage at this time of year!!!!”

Incident number: 917

Response ID: 305,239,967

Date: 25.07.2024

Location: Powys, Meifod

Bethany’s story

“My husband and I entered the field with no dog, following the public footpath. The cows and calves were some distance away and did not appear to take notice of us at first. We were heading toward a gate leading back out of the field and when we were about halfway there the cows started to approach, slowly at first. I turned and raised my arms and shouted and this seemed to slow them down. We kept walking at normal pace. Suddenly we could see the whole herd picking up speed and coming straight for us. We started running toward the gate and somehow made it through just in time, as moments later the first of the herd arrived and were kicking up quite a row, loud enough to bring someone out of a nearby house to see what was going on. We were quite shaken and had to sit down on the verge. The lady who came out hadn’t seen what happened but kindly advised us not go in that field as the cows are quite ‘savage’ at this time of year. Too bad she wasn’t there to tell us that at the first gate.

A sign would’ve been helpful, as if we had realised the danger we would’ve taken an alternative route (although this would’ve involved walking down a narrow lane with blind bends) I think we were extremely lucky to not be injured, or worse.”

Kay’s tale of charging cows

Incident number: 873

Date of incident: 18.05.24

Site: In fields between Rugeley Trent train station and Colton


We were walking along a public right of way and entered a field close to a farm. The field was empty. We only got half way across the field when a herd of very aggressive cows appeared from the farm yard and charged us, we ran. This happened in a further 2 fields and on one occasion, both myself and my husband had to throw ourselves over a gate. My husband hurt his neck.

We were fortunate in that, although we are in our late 60’s, we are fairly fit, but if there had been a child with us, then it could have been a very different story. We were with a younger couple, who had a dog on a very short lead and we always kept to the field edge where we could.

We have been walkers for years and we have noticed that:-

1. The cows are getting more and more aggressive

2. Farmers are less tolerant towards walkers.

Although it cannot be proven, we suspect that when we entered the first farm, the Farmer saw us and let the cows in on purpose. The field was definitely empty when we entered it.

We are encouraged to exercise more and there is nothing that we would enjoy better than to take our Grandchildren out into the countryside. But there is always the fear that we will come across a field with cows in. Farmers clearly do not want people walking across their fields (on a public right of way) and are succeeding 100% in deterring us.

I know that Farmers are usually insured but I don’t care about compensation. I would like to not be injured or killed somewhere where I have every right to be. If we ever go on a country walk again (looking unlikely), then we will not be going in a field with cows in it but will find an alternative route which might not be on a public right of way. And if we are trespassing, then so be it.

I have reported this to the HSE.

Kay comments:
“I would welcome a law to be passed which says that Farmers should not put cows in a field where there is a public right of way, or they must put a fence up separating us from the animals.”

A herd of cows charged with no warning!

Incident number: 851

Response  ID: 302,275,824

Date: 11/05/24

Location: Rigsby, Lincolnshire

We were a group of 6 people walking through a field along designated public footpaths with no dogs. A herd of young cows charged without any warning or being provoked. We managed to get through gate before anyone was injured but here was a high risk that someone could have been killed or seriously injured.

The reporter of this incident said “Where a footpath goes through a field, either cows are not to be kept in the field or the footpath routed around the side of the field with a suitable fence or barrier to protect the walker”

Attack on Offa’s Dyke National Trail

It seems that cattle are getting more and more aggressive. Often you simply cannot walk safely along a public right of way.

Report number: 845

Date of incident: 30/04/24

Site of incident: Grid Ref SO 236 406 on the Offas Dyke path (a national trail) south of Hay-on-Wye

1 person, 1 dog on lead

“I was walking my dog along the Offa’s Dyke Path south of Hay. I walked from Cusop as far as Upper Danyforest where I turned around and retraced my steps.

At around 8:35pm I crossed the footbridge (SO236 406) and entered the field beyond. I saw a group of cattle near the house called Pant Barn. I hadn’t been aware of cattle in the field on my outward journey, but they may have been out of sight behind Pant Barn. The cattle were moving up the field away from me and didn’t pay me any attention so I proceeded along the footpath towards Forest Rd. I had only gone around 100m when a group of 8 cattle broke away from the main group and started charging directly towards me and my dog. I immediately let my dog off his lead and made some noise to try and stop the cattle and shoo them away. The cattle slowed but then started coming very close, bucking and kicking. I was terrified. I gave my dog a command to ‘go to the gate’ and thankfully he did as instructed and ran towards Forest Rd. The cattle followed him charging and bucking and kicking. Meanwhile I ran in the opposite direction back up the hill to the footbridge. I could see my dog had ducked into the stream to avoid the cattle so I recalled him and he joined me on the safety of the bridge. I know that if my dog is scared he won’t always follow commands, around half of the time he’ll come and hide behind my legs instead. If he’d have done that tonight I think there is a very high chance I would have been trampled by the cattle.

Unharmed, but frightened

I have reported this to the Health and Safety Executive, the local authority and Brecon Beacons National Park.

I’d like to add that I’ve lived in the area all my life, I’m a qualified Mountain Leader, I do a lot of walking in the countryside. I like to think I know how to behave around livestock, but recently particularly on the Offa’s Dyke path around Hay it seems that cattle are getting more and more aggressive. Often you simply cannot walk safely along a public right of way. I feel like I had a very near miss with this incident and that it’s only a matter of time before someone is injured or killed. Yet the authorities are powerless to do anything.”

Unexpected near miss

Report number: 842

Date of incident: 2/5/24

Site of incident: There is a R.O.W. path through a field between Tanyrallt cottages, Llanllyfni (Caernarfon), which leads down onto Lon Ddwr (by Bro Silyn).

I walk this route most days as our daily dog walk, and the dog is always on a lead. There are signs on the gate warning of the consequences of dogs worrying sheep. Today I got halfway across the rather large field, when the dog starting behaving as if he were afraid, and when I glanced over my shoulder, there were two cows rapidly gaining pace and heading towards us a little too fast. At this stage both myself and the dog were really scared, we tried to walk as quickly and calmly as possible, without running, and feel that we made it to the gate with moments to spare. They were so close at this point that we could have touched them, so I don’t know what their intentions were. An elderly or less fit person may have been in serious trouble, especially due to the lack of warning signs!

No injuries, but both man and dog very frightened.

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)”

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.”