Category: Near-miss Stories

Incident number: 1203

Response ID: 317,000,654

Date of incident: 28.09.25

Location: Great Barford. Not far from Bedford. Public footpath near the river

Status: Four people (2 children) with no dog on PROW

Alesya’a story

“We walked on a path near the river. Walked to the end of the field, a group of what appeared to be young cows were quite far away in another corner. We simply walked. No dog. Two young kids (5 and 10). Suddenly we seen cows start to run. There was nowhere for us to run or hide so we stepped to the edge of the river bank near a tree with an intention to jump in the river should cows attack. The cows surrounded us and kept coming so close I even petted one of the cows as I tried to calm the situation down and tried to somehow show the cows we are not a threat. There was one that looked like young bull. We were properly surrounded for about 10 minutes and kids were very scared. Then somehow I managed to convince the most eager cow to let us pass, and we were able to leave.

Very distressing.”

Incident number: 1202

Response ID: 317,000,253

Date of incident: 14.08.25

Location: At Long Ash near Yelverton Devon

Status: A couple on a PROW

Myra’s story:

“We were walking towards a cow, giving a wide berth so not to be too close on the footpath. As I began walking past, it suddenly started to charge towards me. I ran backwards got trapped up against a hawthorn tree and I  tore my t-shirt.

I am too anxious to walk our dog there now alone. It was a very scary experience. The cows are huge and dread to think if it had made contact the injuries I would have sustained.

I think you should have warning signs put up in the area. I see lots of elderly and young children walking in the area.”

Incident number: 1197

Response ID: 316,726,758

Date of incident: 11.09.25

Location: Angles way path from Wortham Ling near Diss Suffolk.

Status: Lone walker on PROW with dog on lead

 Ben’s account:

“I was Following angles way path from Wortham Ling near Diss Suffolk. It also covers a circular walk that I can’t remember the name of.

Following the signage for angles way we came to a footpath gate. Behind spread out in quite a small field were over 30 plus cows with calves . The cows were all different. Me and my two dogs on leads entered the field and kept to the edge. The first few cows moved away allowing us to move forwards. Then those cows followed behind us. Near the exit to the field was even more cows with calves blocking our exit. At this moment a black and white cow charged at us and tried to ram the dogs. This is when we retreated back to where we came in. At that moment every cow in the field ran over mooing and we were almost squashed into the fence but we managed to get out in time. Before this field there are loads of empty fields and this seemed almost deliberate that the farmer placed them there to prevent people using the path.”

He adds “Just seemed an excessive amount of cows in a small field, no way to avoid them.”

Incident number: 1196

Response ID: 316,710,944

Date of incident: 09.09.25

Location: Newtown (Hadrian’s wall)

Status: On published walking route.

Lisa and Richard’s story “It was in a field just before the entrance of Newtown which is part of Hadrian’s wall. The field is signposted as part of the walking route. We walked across the field and it looked like it was feeding time. The field was big but most of the cows had gathered together near the exit of the field. We noticed them starting to quickly starting to move across so we moved to the left as far away as possible. As about 4 started running we tried to keep calm but they ran at pace so we had no alternate but to run to the safety side ditch where they tried to run down at us. We has to climb the metal fence to the adjacent sheep field to escape and I cut my hand. They followed us round the perimeter but we got out safely from the other field. They didn’t seem to then bother 2 women walkers who came 5 mins after us but they had spooked 3 girls ahead of us.”

They would like “That the farmer is involved and a fence is put up or the field next to it with sheep is used instead”

Incident number: 1193

Response ID: 316,567,827

Date of incident: 01.01.25

Location: Snowdonia path from Maes Cwm to Moel Eilio (Grid reference SH 572 590)

Status: Between 3 and 5 people walking on PRoW with dogs on leads

Eryri Local’s story

“We were walking along the bridleway traveling south east towards Maes Cwm to ascend Moel Eilio. We were near to the stile before we saw them which was 20m away. I wanted to turn back as we had 2 dogs with us but my friend had been past them recently and thought we would be OK. We continued on quietly keeping the dogs close. My dog was attached to my waist harness with a canicross bungee lead which I failed to release before one of the cows charged us. She kept ramming into myself, my dog and my friend. My friend let her dog loose but my dog was trying to get away but as he was attached to me I was being dragged around and I was unable to release the carabiner whilst the cow continued to charge and headbutt us. I don’t quite know how we managed to escape without being knocked to the floor and injured. We managed to run to the gate and climb the stile to escape. He is an ex cattle dog so knows how to behave around cattle. I wrote to the council who claimed to have gone there to look. My friend went that was a few weeks later to find the cattle had been fed directly on the bridleway and he retreated as they were starting to approach him. There is no safe alternative around that path to avoid cattle when they are loose there.”

They continue “I have a deep phobia now of cows causing me a lot of issues with my outdoor work as a Mountain leader. This is a local route to me that I used to run frequently now I have to do a large detour over Snowdon if I come across cattle on the path from Moel Eilio which they are now frequenting (Maes Gwm)

Incident number: 1188

Response ID: 316,490,515

Date of incident: 25.08.25

Location: On a footpath between Otterburn and Malham Kirby.

Status: Lone walker with no dog on PRoW

Lisa’s story

I came into the field and walked alongside a wall. There were no signs to say there were cattle in the field and I didn’t see them until I walked round a bend. They were mainly laying down rather up the hill. I felt uneasy as they seemed interested in me even though I wasn’t close to them so looked for ways to escape if needed (there was a stone wall with barbed wire on top but I could see a few places that I could climb if needed) I carried on walking keeping an eye on them and they all started to stand up. One or two started to walk towards me so I turned back, then a couple of them started running. I managed to run towards the wall and get over it before they got to me. There were probably about 20 or more right at the wall I’d just climbed over. I wasn’t sure if there was a way of them getting into the field I was in and could go back the way I’d come in as they were now all blocking that route. I walked through the field I was in towards a road and got out that way.”

Lisa says that she will inform the HSE and that there needs to be clear signs on the fields.

Incident number: 1187

Response ID: 316,490,377

Date of incident: 31.01.25

Location: Footpath in Swansea (Fforestfach/ Gowerton) (///finely.stable.love)

Status: Two people with dog on the lead on PRoW

Chloe’s account from last January

“Entered field via style – cows were present on far side of field. Dog on lead and very well behaved, no barking or threat. Cows charged from far end of field and pushed us into hedge. Cows pawing ground while we left field the same way we came in (slowly). Could not pass field, no detour possible due to layout of land and other cow fields. Had to backtrack and could not complete out walk. Very scary, did not seem like they would stop when charging – I believe they only stopped because we were pushed basically inside of a bush.”

She adds “I wish cattle would not be kept on public rights of way. They should be fenced off from the footpath.”