Report number: 977
Date of incident:30/8/2024
Location: Lugwardine, field next to river Lugg, Herefordshire
Group of cows, no dog, 2 people.
Report: “We entered the field and didn’t see the cows immediately as they were at the other end and around a curve in the path. When we saw them I got my son to walk nearer to me. We couldn’t see the exit on the path so we stopped and decided to keep well away from the herd and cut across diagonally away from them. Then they stopped eating and all looked at us, then started to run at us, still a distance away. I told my son to run and I was more of a jog and they chased us but when we went back around the curve in the field they didn’t keep up the chase. I knew cows could be dangerous but never actually had an incident like this, scary with an 8 year old.”
Category: Spoiled walks
Patricia J wants to raise awareness of the many lesser incidents caused by cattle
Report number: 976
Date of incident: 28/2/2017
Location: Approximate grid reference SD 96391 18581. Part of the Pennine Way at Blackstone Edge, Littleborough, nearest postcode OL15 0LG.
3 walkers, no dog.
Report “We were taking a leisurely walk on the Pennine Way public pathway, along the moors between Blackstone Edge and Light Hazzles Reservoir, with my partner’s elderly mother, who was visiting with us. Although fit for her age, Ruth was in her late 70s at the time. We wanted to show her the view of our cottage from the path, which, there and back, should have been an approximately 20 minute walk.”
“Having shown her the breath-taking view, we had just begun the walk back when we saw the path ahead was now blocked by a large group of mostly horned cattle. The amount of them – around 15 – was intimidating, particularly as many were horned and staring at us. They began to move towards us when we attempted to edge towards them. As they were straddled across the only path between very wild, stony and wet, peaty terrain, we had no real choice except to turn and go in the opposite direction. We ended up walking over six miles to get back to our car. My elderly Mother in law really struggled. She never complained but it was clear she was in some pain and it really badly affected her walking ability for months afterwards.”
“Although this happened some years ago, I believe it’s still relevant to report this incident. At the time we didn’t know who to contact or report it to. There were no warning signs, if there had been, we probably would have avoided the area. neither was there any clear indication of who the cattle belonged to. The moorland there is public and very popular with walkers, so I believe it’s likely there’s been many other unreported incidents. We’ve seen the cows up there, from a distance, quite a few times, including earlier this year (and avoided walking there as a result).”
“Although luckily, none of us were directly injured, our encounter did have a bad and long-lasting impact, particularly on my mother-in-law’s health and confidence. I believe my mother-in-law saw her GP when she returned home, as she was still suffering considerable leg/back pain weeks later.”
“The truly horrific injuries rightfully should make the headlines, but there should also be awareness of the many lesser incidents that go unreported. I applaud your campaign for shining a light on these.”
“I wish there was some sort of law to ensure farmers take responsibility for keeping their animals safely penned in particularly when close to or on public land/paths. We live in a semi-rural area and often encounter loose horses and sheep as well as the odd cow. It’s frightening for us and also terrifying – and often injurious – for the animals concerned. Thank you for campaigning to bring more awareness to this issue.”
5 bullocks leaping towards Grace!
Report number: 975
Date of incident: 8/8/2024
Location: ///outreach.cabbies.bullion Nr Burton, Pembrokeshire
Report: ” I was on holiday in this area, so not familiar with it. I followed a public footpath sign, which took me over a stile into a field, my map indicated the exit was at the top middle of the field. I had a sense the footpath was fairly unused, as the access to the stile was overgrown. There was no clear path once in the field, so I stuck to the left edge. At the top of the field there was an adjoining field separated by a waist high barbed wire fence in which 5 large bullocks (I think) were grazing. I saw them from about 50m and slowed my walk and aimed to walk further away from the fence towards the exit at the top of the field – always on the other side of the fence to them. However, my presence startled one of them which then startled all of them and they ran away from me. The field they were in was quite small which meant that when they got to the edge of it they then turned back round together and ran towards the fence separating the two fields we were respectively in. All five bullocks jumped the waist high barbed wire fence into the field I was stood in, about 15m away from me!
This all happened really quickly. I am extremely lucky they seemed to have just been spooked rather than aggressive towards me and so ran across the field in a different direction. I assume this happened, I didn’t see as I was extremely panicked, adrenaline kicked in and I ran back in the direction I came (I am 30yo and fairly fit), it was the only viable exit about 100m away, the hedge was too dense to get through/too high to climb. I was very fortunate to have gotten away uninjured, but, as I watched them jump the fence I mentally prepared myself to be trampled and probably die. I have never been so scared.”
“I didn’t report the incident as I wasn’t aware there was anyone to report to.”
“In this case, a dated sign at the beginning of the footpath to alert me to the risk would’ve been valuable. I would’ve likely not got into the field. I think locals don’t use it, but unsuspecting holiday makers might.”
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.”
Hadrian’s wall – diverted from national trail because of cattle
Incident number: 951
Response ID: 306,983,569
Date: 06.05.24
Location: Approx Grid ref 334592 – Hadrian’s Wall path near Beaumont
JRT’s Story
“Two of us were walking along Hadrian’s wall with our dog on a lead. A group of young cattle charged towards us as soon as we entered the field. They came thundering over and fortunately we were able to leave the field the way we came in. The path – a national trail – was blocked by these animals and we and other walkers had to track back along the road as there was no other option.”
Scared walker -“Either fence the cattle off from the path or do not put them in a field with a public footpath.”
Incident number: 941
Date of incident: 30/6/2024
Location: Gregynog Estate near Tregynon, Powys. Footpath between Skew Bridge and Gregynog Estate footbridge.
Group of cattle – “I don’t know what. No time to stop and look.”
No dog, single walker.
Account: “I was walking bang on the path. I know because I have GPS. The cows approached me at a trot. I had no stick so I had to wave my coat. They speeded up. It was terrifying. I was so scared I was screaming at them to GO AWAY, waving my coat at them. They just kept running at me from different angles. I had nowhere to go. It is a big field and I wasn’t near any edge.”
Further comment: “Either fence the cattle off from the path or do not put them in a field with a public footpath.”
JJ has several bad encounters with cattle
Incident No. 938
Date of Incident. 29/08/24
Location. Perrydale Farm, Sparrowpit, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, SK178ES
Account “I had decided to walk down the road rather than across the footpath I had taken earlier as I had already been chased by a herd of cows. As I walked down the track I realised another herd was roaming free across the track and was blocking the path. I tried to walk as far away as I could, slowly and calmly. The young cows began to bolt around and as I passed 2 of the young cows began to rear up and run at me. I managed to get behind a wall and out onto the main road, I was so terrified by this.”
“During this walk trying to tick off 3 popular Ethels* I was plagued by cows –
>I was chased or approached in 2 fields,
>completely unable to cross 1 field due to aggressive cows hanging around the stile
>I had to leave a footpath and cross into another field over barbed wire due to a cow that had escaped it’s field,
>paralysed by fear walking down another bridleway because of several cows on a path that were stamping feet at me (thankfully a group of bikers appeared and helped me past)
>and then finally when I tried to choose a longer, less safe route back to the start (including a 2k walk on a busy country road with no pavement) I was chased by these bullocks.
I’m so angry that farmers can take no effort to protect walkers from harm and there is no recourse – even if that harm is sheer terror (have previously been attacked and harmed by cows)”
“I have tried to find contact information for the farmer but can’t find any.”
*Ethels – https://peakdistrictwalks.net/peak-district-ethels-list/ – Killer cows hadn’t heard of Ethels!
Advice can help but it doesn’t remove the risks
Incident No. 936
Date of Incident. 21/08/24
Location. Witton Weavers Way, Maiden House Farm, Blackburn, Lancashire
Account “This is the second incident in this precise field in 18 months. The first incident I hold myself responsible; I didn’t know what to do in the event of a cow attack and, as they began to approach me, I ran (which caused the whole herd to stampede after me). Luckily, the gate to the field which is usually open to the adjoining field was closed that day, and I dived over it.
After this first event, I was duly rattled and then did a bit of research on what to do if I am ever in a similar situation again.
Continue reading “Advice can help but it doesn’t remove the risks”Walk cut short
Incident number: 934
Response ID: 306,153,541
Date: 14.08.24
Location: Fleet Head TQ 948 892 near Little Wakering in Essex.
Jane’s story
“Two of us were walking along the Essex coast path with our dogs on leads. We were on a sea bank and came to a gate. Ahead, through the gate, which is where we wanted to go there was a group of about 25 cows with what looked like older calves. To the left of the sea bank was estuary water. The cows were mainly on the right of the bank with about three on the top. While we were deciding what to do we saw another gate to the side of us about 50m away. We decided to go for that as the cows were mooing and walking towards us. They then started running and making a noise but we got through the gate as they reached us. The two dogs we had were calm and on a lead. We were not harmed at all but had to cut a big section of our coast path walk off.”
Dartmoor: Wheal Jewel reservoir – Cows charged and a lucky escape
Incident number: 930
Response ID: 306,096,962
Date: 16.08.24
Location: On public access land at Wheal Jewel reservoir – Dartmoor
I was walking on my own without a dog through open moor. I saw a group of cows and calves so I gave a wide berth – about 30 metres. The cows charged at me presumably to protect their calves. I jumped into a gorse bush and waited for them to go away. I thankfully only suffered a few minor scratches.
Cattle Safety 