Report: “Half the group, including a dog on a lead, walked through the field with no incident. We all gave the cows and calves a wide berth.
2 of the party were further behind with another dog on a lead. One cow spotted the second dog and became extremely aggressive. The walkers backed away and let go of the dog. The cow charged at the dog and chased it until it ran out of the field. The walkers managed to get out of that field without being hurt but it was close to being an incident with injury. We then had to find an alternative way for them to reach the village out if sight of the cows.
I will be reporting to this to the Local authority, but it is not easy to find out how to report these incidents. I don’t think cows and calves should be put in fields with public footpaths, the risks are too high.”
Account “We were walking with my dogs on leads, who are country dogs used to cattle, no barking or stress from the dogs, with my 21 year old son. We walked past the cattle with no problems then one of the cows closed in, then charged me, butted one of my legs that knocked me over, then bucked it’s rear legs up like a horse. I managed to get up. The other 10 cattle then began to follow us as we started to leave the field. We raised our arms shouting – we were afraid, as they all were closing in and we were in the middle of the field, they then dispersed after we shouted. I used to live on a dairy farm and am used to cattle but I’ve never seen behaviour like this before. There were signs warning of a bull in the field – but there was no bull. I’ve reported this to the farmer.”
Respondent also states “There should be warning signs on gates with contact numbers to report any incident and ideallybanning cows from public footpath sites”
Location: On PROW, Near Birchen Lea Farm, Station Rd., Harecroft near Bingley West Yorks
over 10 Ramblers, no dog
Cattle with calves in field
Account: “One cow was actually on the footpath, so we gave the cow a wide berth; the rest of the herd (with calves) was a little way off. The single cow charged at myself and another person as we tried to walk around it. We quickly ran to the stone boundary wall whilst other people in our Ramblers walking group persuaded it to move away allowing us to pass. This was a terrifying experience.”
Additional comment: “Cows with calves should not be in a field with a public footpath or the path should be fenced off from cattle.”
This attack has been reported to the local council and HSE
Incident number 1146 Date of incident: 21.06.25 Site: What3words: ///pinch.infringe.builders (Ellesborough, Aylesbury) Cows with calves in field. 1 walker, no dog
Steve’s Description: “I was walking towards Ellesborough Church when a large, completely black cow ran at me, head down, knocking me over before I could reach the gate. I fell onto a hard chalk path, knocked my head above my right eye, I had a cut to my knee and grazes to my legs and arms, and to add insult to injury covered in something unmentionable.”
Additional comment from Steve: “I have walked and hiked many hundreds of miles though woods, farmland and mountains and this is my first experience of cows acting aggressively. I’m so pleased I found your website to report it. Good luck with your campaign.”
Incident number 1143 Date of incident: 21.06.25 Site: Attacked by a cow on the footpath between Foolow and Wardlow Mires, 200 yards north of Wardlow Mires 3 Stags Heads pub. Derbyshire. Cows with calves, pale colour, bigger than a Jersey cow. I person, no dog
Description: ” I was walking down the foot path towards Wardlow Mires. A single cow from a small group of cows with calves charged and knocked me against a dry stone wall, butting me repeatedly. The wall saved me from being trampled. I have lacerations to my right arm and hand.” Additional comment: “Let as many people know how dangerous cows can be as possible. Farmer should take more care in alerting hikers to the dangers.”
Incident number: 1135 Date of incident: 17.02.24 Site: The Bronte way above Leeming Reservoir in Oxenhope, West Yorkshire 2 people, 1 dog.
Report: “I was walking with my friend and we spotted the cows lying down on the moor above us to the right of the path. We moved over, putting a broken wall between ourselves and the cows. We didn’t see any calves. My dog was further away to the left. One cow stood up and charged through a gap in the wall and went for the dog who ran off. It then turned and knocked me to the ground. Hitting me with its head and stamping its feet. Our dog returned to me and the cow went for her again. I staggered down the hill. I turned around to check what was happening and the cow charged at me again. It knocked me down. I curled up in a ball, thinking I was going to die. My friend stood and shouted and eventually the cow went back to the others. I staggered to the nearest road and was taken by ambulance to hospital.”
“I sustained : 7 broken ribs, a large hematoma on my right leg and a punctured lung. I was in Airedale hospital for three days. We found out later that 3 cows had calves on the moor the night before the attack. The health and safety executive were informed and the farmer has admitted liability.”
“I thoroughly agree that cows should not be on public footpaths.“
Response ID 311,395,124 Incident number 1062 Date: 23.04.24 Site: Malvern Hills AONB free access area No dog
Helen’s account: “A single cow was scratching its head on a public seating bench in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) free access area. I assumed it would be docile in an area where people are invited to sit. I went to take a photo of the cow from about 10-15 feet away, and as I pressed the shutter it was upon me and head butted my left arm & ribcage. My arm was thrown, thankfully I remained upright. The cow left me alone after that and I hastily left the field.”
“Subsequently my left ribcage was very painful to lie on. I attended A&E and they diagnosed possible broken ribs and torn ligaments.”
Additional comment by Helen “Later that day I saw other people taking photos of their friends standing by cows, so I’m not the only person who assumed they would be safe in an area of open access and designated AONB.”
Location: Easenhall Nr Rugby Warwickshire . Public bridleway. Belgian Blue cows with year old calves in the field.
Report: “My husband and I have walked through this field for many years with our 3 dogs on leads with no problems, our dogs were quiet. This particular day the cows were very noisy and unsettled. They ran down the slope towards us and bowled me over and then l was trampled. My husband managed to drag me away and two of the dogs ran away, one stayed with us.”
“I needed emergency hospital treatment for badly crushed legs and slight concussion. I spent several days in hospital and had treatment over months for ulcerated legs and was off work for 6 months.”
“We informed the farmer and the police and did try for some form of redress but after several months were told as we were fighting the farmers union we had no chance of success and we couldn’t afford to pursue it further. The local paper did a report on this subject. I do think there could be an electric fence particularly when cows with calves are in the field.”
Location: Wilburn, Yorkshire on a walk by the castle Howard estate ///harmlessly.fitter.cowboys
2 walkers and baby, no dog. Cows and calves in field.
Account: “My husband and I were walking with our baby in a sling on me. The trail went through a herd of cows so we tried to go around them and as we walked by, a cow starting getting agitated. It then charged us and rammed my husband to the ground. As he backed away on the floor, it backed up and charged him again. We backed up slowly. Another cow came charging towards us looking upset and we walked slowly backwards and it stopped. No injuries (other than a wet bum but no bruising) but still quite scary!”
Location: Walking on Heart of England route just up from Blockley village and in field that runs parallel with the road from Blockley to Batsford Estate.
Account: I entered the field with my Jack Russell in a lead. I walked a few feet away from the stone wall on the very edge of the field. The cows were a good distance away. One cow looked up and stared at me. She went over to her calf and then just ran at my dog. She head butted my dog and scooped her in the air. As my dog was in the air I grabbed her and the cow was bellowing like a mad animal. She turned away and I thought I was safe. But she then ran at me and head butted me in my chest. I stumbled but didn’t fall. I was so near the wall so I jumped over the stone wall and barbed wire and lay in a ditch. The cow stayed bellowing at me and my dog, snorting and glaring at me, in this ditch. I had just about a foot width between the wall and barbed wire and a wire fence on the other side of the ditch.
I managed to get my phone and I rang 999. I honestly thought I was going to die. This cow was just reaching over the wall trying to reach me. The call operator from the fire brigade was great. They asked if I had what 3 words, I didn’t. I lay in this ditch for over 5 minutes, wedged between wire and the stone wall. When I couldn’t see the cow I popped my head up over the wall to see if it had gone.
The cow had walked off, but as soon as it saw my head, she came running over again, bellowing and shaking her head. At one point she followed the wall in front of me, I think she was looking for an opening to get to me. After some time I heard a human voice. I shouted, “help help, I’m behind the wall, are there any cows in the field?” A lady shouted back- ‘no’. So I put my head up again and the cows had moved into the next field. They have free access across 4 fields all on the public footpath. This lady, and her husband helped me and my dog over the wall. I could hardly breathe I was so frightened.
I know the walk as I walk it at least once a week. So I walked as quickly as possible to the gate and onto the road. There I just broke down and sobbed and saw how cut I was from jumping over the wall and barbed wire. The fire brigade found me as I went to the farmer whose cattle they are.
I thought I was safe, as I have lived in the country all my life. But most significantly I thought I was safe as the cows and their calves were out and free to walk all over the Monarch’s Way that is a very very popular walking route.
I thought there was no way they would be allowed to be free if they posed a risk. How wrong I was..”
Harry has reported this to the farmer, the police and the Health and Safety Executive.
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.
Location: Hadrian’s wall path just west of Cawfield’s Quarry
Account “I was walking Hadrian’s Wall Path when a woman with a dog ran past me towards a gate. She was being chased by a cow with its head lowered. I (stupidly or bravely, I don’t know) stepped between her and the cow to protect them, spread out my arms, and yelled at the cow to stop. It skidded to a halt in front of me, looked me over, then peered around me towards the dog. Once the woman and the dog made it to the other side of the gate, the cow ambled away.
I believe that had I not intervened, the woman or her dog would have been injured.”
Cattle Safety 