Near-miss Stories – Page 8

Have cattle become more aggressive over the last decade? For example, have farmers introduced more aggressive breeds? Our Canadian friends have noticed a change…..

Incident number: 1011

Response ID: 307,774,747

Date of incident: 03.06.24

Location: Mow Cop, Cheshire on a walk from a walk book

Status: Couple with no dog on PRW

Joyce and David’s story: They are a couple from Canada who like to come to England to walk once or twice a year. They had an incident with cattle 10 years ago and since then have become much more cautious.

“We entered a field with a small herd of bullocks (about 10-12) spread out about 40-50 metres away from us. The walk went across the field, but we decided to walk along the fence line to keep away from the bullocks. This was moor land and quite wet & muddy. The bullocks started coming towards us to have a closer look. Initially they stayed on the drier top of the field following our slow progress as we wallowed in the mud at the edge! As we neared the end where we had to cross the field to get to the stile, the bullocks kept coming closer behind us. At one stage they nudged one of us in the rear. We kept calm and kept talking to them. Eventually we got over the style with no further incident. The bullocks appeared to be more curious than aggressive. We could not move fast in the mud & they could have easily harmed us without meaning to.”

They add “We realize that it would be expensive for farmers to fence off the footpaths from cattle. Alternatively, we suggest that farmers create temporary footpaths that take walkers around their fields with cattle with appropriate signage in order to provide safe transit for walkers.”

Near-miss on Southwest Coastal Path near Coverack

Incident number: 1005

Response ID: 307,647,490

Date of incident: 12.09.24

Location: South West coast path, Coverack Cornwall. TR12

Status: Two walkers with dog on lead on PRW

Davyd’s story

“Following South West coast path from Coverack to Lizard point Cornwall. Walking along public footpath with dog on lead. Started hearing what sounded like a thundering hoofs. I turned and saw about 20 cattle charging directly at us. We ran as fast as possible to the next swing gate over rocky and muddy ground just making it through in time. The whole heard were headbutting the wood gate still trying to get us. My wife was absolutely terrified as we only just made it out before we got trampled by them. I cannot believe that dangerous farm animals are allowed to be grazing on public footpath especially south West coast path. If we were older and could not move as quickly we could of been trampled to death.”

Surrounded by bullocks

Incident number: 1003

Response ID: 307,588,507

Date of incident: 27.09.24

Footpath from Rudyard to Horton (Leek Staffordshire (What 3 words : ///refilled.publisher.tech.)

Status: Lone walker with dog on lead on PRW.

Cieran’s story

“The footpath runs up the right hand side of the field. Most of the cows were away to the left of the field but there was one bullock in front of me in the first third of the field. As I got past the bullock it started to follow and pretty quickly the whole herd of 30-40 bullocks was crowding in towards me. I was backing up holding my arms out and shouting to stop them but every time I turned around to walk away more quickly they would start to run towards me until I turned around again and shouted. This became more intense and they got closer the further up the field I went. I kept the dog on a short lead through the whole event. She was frightened but did not bark and was not aggressive towards the cows. Several times I had to turn, stand and shout to stop them from trampling me. I could not climb over the wall in to the next field as the farmer has installed barbed wire along the top of the dry stone wall. When we were in sight of the exit style I ran and threw the dog over before jumping through myself. The herd raced up to wall behind me and it would be impossible to get back down the same footpath.

This is a regular issue at this spot of the footpath and I now consider it too dangerous to use as this is not the first time I have had this issue.”

Dartmoor common land stand off with cow

Incident number: 998

Response ID: 307,430,357

Date of incident: 17.09.24

Location: Dartmoor Nearest village: Gidleigh (What three words careful.showrooms.studio)

Status: Two people with dog on lead on PRW

Anonymous report “We were on a footpath on a remote part of Dartmoor a couple of miles away from Scorhill stone circle, just to the north west of Rival Tor. We had previously passed 2 groups of black cows without incident. We saw the cow ahead, not far from the path. It started running aggressively towards us. My husband stood firm and bellowed at it, also waving his walking stick. I walked on with our dog still on a short lead while there was a stand-off between my husband and the cow. The cow started to shake its head which we knew was a sign of danger. Worried it was about to charge him, my husband started to walk away at which point it started running around towards me. I had let the dog off at this point as thought this was best. Luckily the cow stopped and there was another standoff. Fortunately it then lost interest as we walked away. It was particularly frightening as there was nowhere for us to escape to – no hedge, no stream, no gully, just open featureless moorland.”

Further thoughts “There was a sign by the car park from the Gidleigh Commoners Association. FOR YOUR SAFETY PLEASE KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM ALL CATTLE ESPECIALLY WITH CALVES – went on to give more info about precautions and danger signs, the final advice was, amid danger signs eg cows shaking heads and pawing ground “to retire as calmly and quickly as possible” and then “if a cow actually offers (sic) to attack you let any dog off the lead and the cow may focus interest on the dog while you retreat calmly” The problem is – where do you retreat to in open moorland where there are no fences/boundaries???”

Cattle attack causes broken bones in a popular Yorkshire tourist spot

Incident number: 1000

Response ID: 307,458,160

Date of incident: 20.09.24

Location: Fields below the Saltergate car park on the A169 at the Hole of Horcum

Status: Two people with dog on the lead on PRW

Dave S’s story

“We were walking on a public footpath but in an unfamiliar area. The cows were congregated around the gate from the field so it was difficult to go around them. A few started bellowing and moving towards us and we backed away. One barged into me and flicked it’s head sending me backwards. I just managed to stay on my feet and we climbed over a barbed wire fence to escape”

Dave was diagnosed with a cracked rib after a hospital visit.

He adds “The path could easily have been fenced off or even divided through a different field”

Walking on the Saxon Shore Way between Sandwich and Plucks Gutter

Incident number: 997

Response ID: 307,395,004

Date of incident: 01.09.24

Location: Saxon Shore Way between Richborough and Plucks Gutter

Status: Loan walker with no dog on PRW

Kaite’s story

“Walking on the Saxon Shore Way between Sandwich and Plucks Gutter recently, there were a number of very large open fields with cattle roaming freely including cows with calves, and no realistic way to avoid them – no alternative paths, no fencing etc. Most of the time when I came across them I had no idea prior to entering the field (often some way back) that there were cattle and I didn’t really have any choice but to hope for the best and go on. The first couple of times turned out to be fine (including a field with cows with calves, which I normally avoid). However in the third field with cattle a cow was standing right in my way, and eventually began to approach me. I backed away and slid down the river bank, and she followed, standing at the top of the bank – a group had now joined her. I waited to see if they would move but they stayed there. Fortunately I had a dry bag with me (I am a keen swimmer and had hoped to swim in the river at some point) so I managed to pack my things into the dry bag, get into the river and swim across, then picking up the path on the opposite bank where fortunately there were no cattle. I don’t know whether they would have hurt me but I wasn’t going to find out – having been chased on three previous occasions I am nervous around cows and try to avoid them wherever I can. Since the incident I have read online that other walkers have had run-ins with cows in the same part of the SSW. It’s a very isolated walk (I’m not sure I saw a single other walker all day) so there was no option to wait for another walker to brave the cattle together, and if I had been hurt it would have been hard to get help.”

Katie also added a link to the walk on Alltrails and previous warnings of cows

Saxon Shore Way: Sandwich to Hillborough, Kent, England – 7 Reviews, Map | AllTrails

Dartmoor is supposed to be an area of public access and people fought hard for that right in the past

Incident number: 996

Response ID: 307,292,939

Date of incident: 17.08.24

Location: Dartmoor nearish Sourton/Okehampton area

Status: Two walkers with no dog on PWW

Anonymous walkers

“A group of a few cows were standing together in front of the gate we needed to pass through on a public footpath. We gave them a wide berth and walked around them, deciding to go over the fence up from the gate instead of through the gate. One was staring at us in a way that felt potentially unfriendly more than curious. When we got nearer to the fence it stomped/snorted at us and started moving towards us (not running luckily or we wouldn’t have made it in time) so we ran and jumped the barbed wire fence and I cut my leg on the fence. Not badly but as it broke the skin I contacted NHS 111 afterwards and went to a walk-in centre to check if I needed a tetanus booster. My partner walking with me was not injured. We carried on the walk and encountered a much larger herd of cows later (still on the public footpath) and I was too nervous to go through them again so we ended the walk. Wish they hadn’t put cows on the public footpath, I know the NHS is there to help people but the whole thing was a waste of NHS time and ours and ruined a walk. I’m reluctant to walk on Dartmoor again as you can’t avoid cows in that part of the world. Dartmoor is supposed to be an area of public access and people fought hard for that right in the past.”

Further comments “Cows shouldn’t be allowed on public footpaths. If the farmer really needs to put cows on a public right of way due to space restrictions, then I’m sorry but the farm is too small for the number of cattle being housed there. This should be regulated by agricultural bodies. There’s absolutely no excuse for putting people in harm’s way for the sake of agricultural profit. I’m not saying don’t farm, because it’s an important part of our food system, culture and heritage – just downscale if necessary. Even if the cows don’t hurt hikers, intimidating people goes against the spirit of the public right to access the countryside, which is important for everyone’s health and wellbeing.”

I want the people in your country to know that this is happening in the US also.

Incident number: 994

Response ID: 307,193,852

Date of incident: 15.06.24

Location: Alhambra Creek Staging area of Briones in East Bay Regional Park in California (The East Bay)

Status: Loan walker no dog on PRW

Mary’s story

“A calf started after me after he was butting heads with his buddy. He decided to do it to me. This has happened frequently with adult cows as well. The cows get all over my path, the fire road, as well as the field where they graze. I therefore have no other place to walk. I go slowly but they don’t care and they charge. The cattleman does not manage his animals at all!”

Mary wanted to warn us of potential US dangers – but cows are cows which ever country you go to – so be careful wherever you travel!

We shouted and threw things and the bullocks thankfully backed off

Incident number: 993

Response ID: 307,189,790

Date of incident: 16.09.24

Location: Grid ref 20 59 Bridleway from A5012 near Mouldridge Grange

Status: Two people no dog on PFP

Nick’s story

“We were pushing our bikes up the steep bridleway when we saw a bullock staring at us up above on the steep side of the valley. We stopped & the bullock turned to go through to the next field & joined 3 more bullocks in a group. My brother had picked up a fence post as he had been chased a month ago down from Burbage edge. As we passed them at a reasonable distance they came towards us at pace but not charging. We stopped, shouted & thrust the fence pole, they backed off but came again to which we repeated our actions. They backed off again & this time stayed put as we slowly but purposely walked on.”

Nick would like Fencing & ask farmers to situate feed stations well away from paths.

Family walk involved walking through cattle with calves

Report number: 989
Date of incident: 15/4/2016
Location: Merthyr Tydfil/ Aberdare way

Report: “We, f40, m35, son 4 and son 2 in a pushchair, walked along a track at about 3pm to the woods about a mile away. No cows around but they could be seen very far away up the mountain. When we returned at about 6/7pm, it was still light but about 20 cows with calves were blocking the road. We had to go through the centre of them to get to the end of the track and our car. I passed first with son 2 in pushchair and 1 dog on leash. My husband was holding my 4 year old sons hand and our other dog on a leash. He saw one cow staring intently and it took a step towards them. The entire herd looked like it was ready to run at them. My husband took a step towards it and stared it down. While also picking up our son slowly.

As crazy as it sounds, my husband growled at the cow. Don’t ask me why! But it worked and after a very tense 2 minutes of staring at each other, with the rest of the herd also staring at him, the cow turned and walked off taking the rest of the herd with it. I don’t know what would’ve happened if he hadn’t done that. I don’t know whether the growling or the staring down was what worked. But I honestly feel like he saved our lives that night. I’ve since had a phobia of sorts of cows. Which everyone, including my husband thinks is so funny because, after all, they’re only cows, right?!”

Further comment “We obviously need better signage of areas that have cattle but also include the dangers of walking there at dusk and during calving season. Something I didn’t know anything about before. I also think more education would be good. Children should be taught from a young age to respect the countryside and it’s animals. They learn about the green cross code so why not about countryside safety as well.”

Julia thinks farmers who know they have aggressive cattle should be made to graze their cattle away from the public

Report number: 987
Date of incident: 8/9/2024
Location: ///skip.adjuster.mopped on the Tarka Trail, Nr Okehampton, Devon

cows with calves on open moorland on Dartmoor (mostly pure black herd but main aggressor was pale brown)

Report: “It’s an area we walk very regularly, my dog is off lead but under close control. It was a very foggy day and we found ourselves amongst the cows on the moor. We couldn’t see them until we were about 20m away. We are well aware of their potential so were trying to avoid them. My dog ran past the brown cow and her calf was nearby, she turned and went to attack my dog who was able to run away uninjured. The herd of black cows then came charging up from behind to see what was happening, running past us on either side, we stood still.

A collision avoided by jumping over a hedge

Incident number: 968

Response ID: 306,988,458

Date of incident: 22.07.24

Location: I was in a field on a public way southwest of Chilcompton (near Midsomer Norton)

Status: Lone walker with no dog on PFP

RJB’s story

“Was crossing from stile to stile. Stiles were overgrown so was hard to find the exit stile. Got chased by 20-odd young but fully-grown cows and found the gap in the hedge to jump over just in time. I had to run across the field with an 18kg backpack on – if I’d been less fit or had less time to react then I’d have been at the very least in a collision with a charging herd.”