Report Number 983
Date of incident: 22/8/2021
Location: On the South Downs Way, just across the A road between Housedean Farm and Southease, near the top of a large hill.
Group of bullocks (young bulls), lone walker, dog on lead
Report: “I got to a gated field which the South Downs Way ran directly through, where I saw what appeared to be a couple of young bullocks rearing up and bucking when a couple with a dog passed by, the couple were walking slowly, and didn’t appear to be in any immediate danger, so I stupidly opened the gate and tried to walk past, staying close to the fence. When the cows clocked me they suddenly gave chase, and I had to fling myself over the fence to get away from them.”
“The fence was topped with barbed wire and I was wearing shorts, so I tore one of my legs up quite badly and had three long scratches on it for a few weeks afterwards. It was getting dark by the time I reached the bottom of the hill and I was quite shaken.”
“I had to have a tetanus jab and my GP double-checked my scratches.”
Comment re signage “There was a sign at the bottom of the hill, warning of a bull in the field, but no sign on the gate I actually went through.”
Comment by Ingrid “The field that was occupied by the cows covered an extremely large and irregularly shaped stretch of the south downs way, I would appreciate it if farmers could, where possible, keep large herds away from some of our country’s most popular walking trails.”
Category: Near-miss Stories
Mandy is charged at by a frisky bullock
Report number: 980
Incident date:1/5/2018
Location: https://what3words.com/rinse.burst.opposites Nr Brading, Isle of Wight
Group of bullocks, lone walker, no dog
Report: “I entered the field (Gander Hill) from the public gate from the Centurian Copse end, onto the footpath, I didn’t know the herd was in the field. After a few minutes I saw them on the top of the hill, there were 20-30 of them, they were frisky. I chose the lower path to keep out of their way as there was not an alternative route. They came nearer but were interested in each other not me, apart from one in particular that was very frisky and watching me closely. They were on the top of the hill, I was below. I should have turned back at that point but kept going, cautiously. Probably they were 100 yards away at least. I carried on for a couple of minutes thinking that I would get to the exit at the other end of the field before them. The one that was interested in me broke away from the rest of the herd and halved the distance between iteself and me in about 10 seconds. It was watching me closing, bucking, agile, dancing almost. The rest of them came a bit closer but were still frisky amoungst themselves and not very interested in me. I was very frightened, rooted to the spot, hands clamped by my side, nowhere to go, I was too far from the edge of the field to get to it and anyway it was a high fence with a lot of brambles and barbed wire. I was scared to wave my arms around or shout at it or move in case I frightened the rest of them into running at me. So I didn’t move at all, just stood stock still. It charged at me. But stopped of its own volition about 20 yards from me, stared at me for a moment and then tossed its head and rejoined the rest of the herd, which then ambled off in the direction of the far gate. I carefully retraced my steps back the way I came and exited the field.”
Mandy comments “Cattle should not be allowed to roam on public land full stop. Where there are farmers fields with footpaths, then those footpaths should be fenced, just basic stock fencing will do. I am happy for footpaths to be sensibly re-routed within the field concerned to allow a sensible solution that protects livestock and humans from unhelpful interactions.”
Henry wants more protection for walkers so they can cross fields safely.
Report number: 979
Date of incident: 30/6/2017
Location: ///Leopard.Riverboat.Soonest. Between Stanton Prior, BA2 9HT and Bath Spa University campus,
Group of cows involved, black angus, red angus, Angus/Hereford cross, lone walker, no dog
Report: “I had passed through the field the day before and observed the cows were very alert and territorial, despite there being no observable calves. On that occasion I decided to leave the field through a fence as I was uncomfortable walking further. The day of the attack I was walking in the opposite direction, from Stanton Prior to Bath Spa University, where I was a student. I entered the field via the footpath and saw the cows on the far side of the field, approx. 400m away. With so much distance between us I felt reasonably ok about walking through, despite my encounter with them the previous day. However, as I continued to walk, keeping a close eye at all times, they gradually began to notice my presence and turned towards me. I kept walking as they were still far away, but then the herd began to move in my direction. I had already picked an exit point to get to if needed and I began to slowly move in the direction of the gap in the hedgerow by the fence. As I was moving away they began to run towards me in a long line, with one cow breaking off and running down the fence line. I was able to get over the fence just before the cow reached me. Had I not been aware of the herd’s previous behaviour and picked an exit route, I’m not sure I would have made it away unscathed. The hedgerow was thick and there were long stretches without exit points. The method the cattle used with one running along the fence line and the remainder spread out and running towards the fence line would have made outrunning them very difficult. I had no dog, was moving cautiously and always keeping distance. In other words this was totally unprovoked and potentially very serious. I filmed the entire encounter as I was so concerned something might happen.”
“I informed the farmer who didn’t take the incident seriously and told me how nice the cows were. This incident totally changed the way I walk in the country, especially around livestock. I will not enter a field with cows again as a result of this.”
Henry comments ” there should be more signage, more communication that this can happen to anyone, not just dog walkers. More exit routes in fields. Ideally more protection for ramblers/walkers so they can cross fields in safety. I used the route as my commute to university and work. Without crossing the field, my walk increased from 20 minutes to 1hr. I had no other method of transportation.”
Raced at by bullocks
Report number: 978
Incident date: 5/9/2022
Location: Berry Pomeroy – walking on public right of way path from the village up through huge field to head towards castle.
Lone walker, dog on lead.
Report: “The field from the village is huge and slopes up so you cannot see when entering if livestock are in there. It’s a circular walk from Berry Pomeroy village to the castle and back. As I got to the brow of the hill I saw a huge group of (what I presume were) bullocks They were a long way off but when they saw me they came racing down and started bombing me and hitting the hedge around me and my dog. I was about 20m away from the gate so I ran for it as they were getting more aggressive. I just managed to get through the gate and they ran into the gate after me (colliding with it.) I was terrified. Stupidly I didn’t take my dog off lead.”
“I had to get a friend to drive to collect me as the only way back to village was along a well-used B road that people use as a rat run to Paignton/Torbay and that has no footpaths. The bullocks were still at gate when my friend picked me up an hour later from the castle. I’m surprised no one has been killed in that field. A notice should be put up to warn hikers! I’ve never gone back.”
HD: “This incident has made me nervous in a place where I previously felt entirely comfortable.”
Report Number: 974
Date of incident: 31/7/2024
Location: handwriting.tortoises.unwraps – Location is somewhat approximate, but I was heading downhill on the public bridleway from the Pennine Way above Moorfield towards the junction with Derbyshire Level.
Report: “I was walking downhill on the public bridleway – a walk I do everyday in the evening during which I have never seen anything but sheep in this particular section – when I spotted a lone cow almost directly parallel to me across the gully. The cow spotted me and began to move at the same pace. When I sped up slightly, as I had begun to feel frightened, the cow matched my speed. This continued until we approached the point where our paths were due to converge. By this point I was rather scared, so I started to run. The cow copied my actions and rushed towards me. I was forced to break into a sprint and head for the gate. The land is very rough there and I stumbled a few times with the cow still on my tail. Luckily I was just far enough ahead to make it to safety. When I reached the gate I threw myself over it and the cow suddenly stopped short and simply continued to stare. My experience is not much compared with the awful ordeals of others listed here, but I was really terrified for a few minutes and I developed palpitations shortly afterwards. It has made me very wary of returning to a walk I had been enjoying as part of my regular exercise for months.
I now make my ascent on the other side of the valley and use Wormstones as a vantage point to determine whether there are any cows present on that day in the way of my descent. If so, I adjust my circular walk and am forced to complete a linear route instead. It has made me nervous in a place where I previously felt entirely comfortable and which was very beneficial for my mental health.
Put simply cows should never be in a field with public access. That is the only solution in my view. Better signage and communication from the farmer can still not wholly prevent injury and death to walkers simply wishing to enjoy the outdoors unmolested. I would also like to see farmers held to account more rigorously for serious incidents.”
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.”
Walking back to Combs Valley campsite – badly frightened
Incident number: 954
Response ID: 306,984,422
Date: 06.05.24
Location: Near Chapel en le Frith Derbyshire (What 3 words ///entry.meanders.cried)
KB’s story
“Two of us were walking back to combs valley campsite from the nearby golf course. We didn’t have a dog with us. Once in the same “fenced off area” as the cows, we noticed them dancing about but they were quite far off so we didn’t worry. There was a row of trees which we walked on the other side of from the cows. This meant we didn’t see them coming but suddenly they burst out from the main part of the field and we found ourselves stuck between the trees/bushes and a group of at least 5-7 angry looking cows. The leader of which seemed determined to hit us. My partner wanted to run but I stopped and started talking calmly to the cow, facing it. After an intense face off the lead cow decided to run away and the rest of them followed. We then quickly scrambled to the nearest fence and climbed over it with a tree, scraping ourselves mildly in the process. We weren’t injured but have been both since quite scared of any pasture with cows and now often avoid them and walk on roads. We met the farmer on our way out who said they were young cows and was friendly but also seemed to laugh it off, while we were just so happy to be out of there unharmed.”
I had to throw myself over a barbed wire fence to escape
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”
!Warning to walkers on Teeside Way Romaldkirk!
Incident number: 945
Response ID: 306,831,907
Date: 08.09.24
Location: On the Teeside Way going out of Romaldkirk (What 3 words ///faces.crusher.bleaching) OS Grid NY 99699 22533
RW’s story
“Two of us were walking on a public footpath with our dog on a lead. We approached the field and saw just a couple of cows immediately ahead of us. As we walked up the footpath one particular black cow got very excited and charged at us. More cows and calves (which would have stopped us coming into the field) appeared. The situation degenerated and we were forced up against a wall. My wife with one dog just got out in time over a fence into the adjacent field next to a cemetery. I was knocked to the ground and I managed to get up and help my dog over a 6. Ft stone wall. I then managed to scramble over the fence my wife had climbed over.
I think I have probably cracked some ribs. I’ve played 30+ years of rugby and I know what a severe rib injury is. This is probably up there with the worst of them.
We’re not naive walkers and we understand the dangers of cows with calves. (My wife was bought up on a dairy farm and knows livestock) As there was no sign we hold the farmer solely responsible for this. He should be prosecuted in the same way I’d be prosecuted if my dog attacked someone or his/her livestock. Changes should be made such that farmers include this information about calves by law. This path was the Teeside Way!!! Not some sleepy backwater. I’d like incidents like this to be recorded and published.”
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.”
Tony will think twice about entering a field of cows again
Incident number: 943
Response ID: 306,653,816
Date: 30.08.24
Location: Near Whitton, Shropshire. (What 3 words besotted.dividing.curving)
I was walking with my dog who was off the lead but walking at my side close enough that you would not have noticed it was not on a lead. We were following the public footpath along the field edge and had seen the cows (about 15 or 20) on entering the field, but as they were 150 or so meters into the field and 30 or so meters in from the footpath and laying down I did not consider them a risk. As we drew level with them several of them stood up and started to gesture that they were not happy about our presence. We moved on quickly and the ones that had stood began to move towards us at a pace that was gaining on us. We picked up speed and so did they until we were running, and thankfully they gave up their pursuit. The dog didn’t seem bothered just surprised to see me move at such a pace; I however was quite shaken and will think more than twice before ever entering a field of cows again.
Tony says “I would like to see all cattle fenced off from public footpaths and bridleways etc. It is insufficient for farmers to consider liability insurance sufficient and there need to be more prosecutions when incidents occur. Many of these public rights of way existed long before the field configurations they now cross and almost certainly the cattle have come after the right of way. It is unacceptable that the public have to face these risks while enjoying these rights of way and must be protected!”
Scared near to Llanidloes Wales
Incident number: 942
Response ID: 306,604,784
Date: 31.05.24
Location: llandiloes Gwestyn Map reference SN887861 approx.
Two incidents in the same place. In both incidents I was walking on my own without a dog.
1. Walked from a public footpath north east of Gwestyn onto the bridleway leading west from Gwestyn. Cattle in the field with the bridleway came running at speed towards me and started to crowd round me. I ran at them and they ran away but came back again. After two or three further attempts to run at them I had to climb a barbed wire fence into another field to escape them. I cut my hand and ripped my trousers on the barbs.
2. A different day, walking east south east from Gwestyn on same bridleway. The cattle were further east from Gwestyn on this occasion. Same problem again. They came running at me, gathering round. I had to climb barbed wire again to get into the next field.
Our reporter says “It should not be legal to keep cattle in the same field as a public right of way. It’s no good specifying breeds etc. There have been too many accidents and near misses. It is too terrifying and lots of people I know will simply not enter a field where there are cattle, meaning they are prevented from using their legal right to walk on any right of way they choose. Farmers should be forced to fence off sections of path or put electronic collars on cattle that control where they can go. Or could hand held cattle scaring devices be developed just like the anti dog devices you used to be able to buy that are (sadly) not seen any more?”
Cattle Safety 