near miss – Cattle Safety

Charged at by a cow in Derbyshire (Pattern of previously aggressive livestock behaviour in this area)

Incident number: 1228
Response ID 329,163,280
Date: 8/4/26 Location ///farm.prepare.character, Between Unstone Green and Dronfield,Derbyshire 2 People, with 2 dogs on lead

Incident Summary: “On 8th April 2026, while traversing the established public footpath southwest from Highgate Lane, our party (two adults and two canine companions on leads) encountered an aggressive bovine. The animal emerged from a previously restricted lane and initiated a direct, targeted approach toward us. Despite attempts to deter the animal through non-aggressive gesturing, it continued to pursue us at an increasing pace. During the retreat, a group of five to six calves was observed at ///structure.ports.snooze, suggesting the cow was exhibiting protective maternal aggression.”

“We successfully evacuated the field via the stile at Highgate Lane without physical injury, though the encounter posed a significant risk to our safety.”

Observations on Public Safety: “This is not an isolated event; there is a pattern of aggressive livestock behaviour at this specific location, frequently cited by other members of the walking community. Historically, the risk was mitigated by functional fencing and hedgerows that separated cattle from the public right of way. However, due to a lack of maintenance, these boundaries are no longer effective. It is our assessment that the current management of the land fails to meet necessary health and safety standards for public access, creating an avoidable danger to footpath users.”
“I think that landowners and livestock owners have a duty of care towards public footpaths and provide safe passage across grazing areas, and should be able to be reported more easily, when this falls short.”

Update: “I submitted a report to the Health and Safety Executive and have already received an email response from them. They have contacted the farmer and reminded them of their responsibilities. Which, I think, has resulted in some wonderful news to share since my last update. I am happy to report that the cows, calves, and the bull have all been moved to a large enclosed field which does not have any footpaths running through it—a great result!”

Andy meets an aggressive group of bullocks

Report 1225

Response ID 328,980,041

Location Footpath between Clwyd gate and farm Plas-y-Nant, nearest large town, Ruthin. Approx grid ref SJ155584, in field just out of woods, exit gate was further obstructed by electric fence.

Single walker, no dog, encounters an aggressive group of bullocks

Andy’s Report: “Leaving gate from the wood and progressing towards my exit gate I could see many young beasts at the far end of the field. About halfway across the field they noticed me and charged, they charged to almost touching distance, over 20 animals, it felt very aggressive.

The field was very broken up making it difficult to keep my footing as I had to back away whilst making a lot of noise and throwing clods of earth to keep them away, I got to the gate only to find it was obstructed by an electric fence which I trampled to get out.

Andy comments: “If I was not a military veteran accustomed to danger I would not have got out of this field uninjured. There should be a more robust process to report to ‘authorities’ and some recognition by police that I have at least the same worth as a sheep.”

Lack of public safety on SW Coastal Path

Report 1223

Response ID 328,818,368

Date of incident 5/3/26

Location South West coastal Path – south of Hartland Quay towards Speke’s Mill. What 3 words “qualified.shave.digested” North Devon coast.

Zoe’s Report: “Arriving at the gate on my return journey I was surprised to see cows there. I entered slowly and both dogs were by my side, but it was clear they were interested and I retreated back behind the gate as they were too dense and close. I waited for 15 minutes (since it was getting dark) and saw they had moved a little way off. I crept back into the field and started walking again, but one of the bullocks spotted my dog who was about 5 metres infront of me – the other was behind me. The bullock started running towards us and the whole herd then turned and started running towards us. My youngest dog sprinted around the outside of the herd and drew their attention away a little, but she then looped back around to me. My older dog who stayed by my side did not run away and now the bullocks were coming straight towards us again and now my exit was blocked as my young dog ran back to me and looped the bullocks back to me. The only place I could go was over the rusted barbed wire rotten matchstick fence and perch on the cliff edge.

This was frightening enough until a bullock stepped over the fence to now join me and my dogs on the cliff edge (150m cliff) the bull then snorted and chased my youngest who ran towards the cliff edge and then skirted around ….back to me. I then crawled along a half metre wide section between fence and cliff with my dogs so the bullock couldn’t follow – I then pushed my youngest dog back out into the field to run away …. As she seemed to be the one they were most interested in. I laid low with my older dog and called the police for help as I truly felt my only exit was taking my chances hanging on to the cliff as the bullocks were snorting and running and sliding on their front hooves towards me.

After another 10 mins the bullock stepped back over the fence and left us, but the herd still surrounded the outcrop of the cliff top. After another 10-15 mins the herd moved far enough away that I felt I could make the gate. Thankfully I found my youngest dog waiting by the gate for me. I was rescued and accompanied back across the field by 2 farmers, one of which reported it wasn’t the first time this has happened and they had been pushing the landowner to put proper fencing in. Especially since he has received money in grants for fencing. Thankfully I’m safe, but totally traumatised and am scared to continue along the SWCP.”

Zoe adds: “I seriously would like to see a decent cow proof fence keeping the cattle away from the cliff edge and giving space to people walking the coastal path. Notices for walkers to be warned of animals in fields and updated. An up to date website that walkers can refer to and plan their walk around fields with cows. I was blocked from walking on my return journey of a long walk and an alternative route would have added on many, many miles at night.”

Pip encounters a dangerous herd on the Welsh Coastal Path

Response ID: 328,436,497

Report number: 1222

Location: Ceredigion Coast Path (part of the Wales Coast Path) between Gwbert & Mwnt

Date: 04/02/26

2 walkers, no dog, meet about 40 Welsh Black bullocks

Pips report: “On the return stretch of our walk we encountered extremely treacherous terrain and a herd of about 40 Welsh Black bullocks milling around all along the path. My partner & I are both country people & I’m a farmer’s daughter who grew up around cattle but this was by some distance the scariest encounter I’ve ever had with livestock. They approached us, some with curiosity, a few with real intent, & starting bucking & circling. We both had to shout & scream & run at them (difficult given the conditions underfoot) & my partner made me go as fast as I could to the next gate whilst he tried to fend them off. Thank God we both made it though but I fell & jarred my hip & neck that are now painful. We were very shaken & absolutely filthy, my body-warmer & jeans were ruined. It’s a really dangerous situation & I want to report in the strongest terms that something needs to be done as a matter of urgency as it could have ended really badly.”

Pip adds “The Wales Coast Path is a very important public right of way & as such should be kept safe for everyone to use.”

Frightened walker asks “Surely the footpath could be fenced off just like it had been done leading up to this section?”

Incident number:1220

Response ID: 328,248,081

Location: Back Forest Farm, River Dane, near Wincle & DaneBridge, Peak District ///wasps.promote.homelands

Date 26/01/26

Single walker, no dog

SY’s Report: “I was heading back to DaneBridge/Wincle from Gradbach/Black Forest. I’d walked by Back Forest Farm along the path between their fields and came to a gate/stile. As I crossed over the stile and looked into the field ahead I could see that there were cows on the footpath and the surrounding field which was on higher ground. The cows saw me and seemed calm and didn’t seem fussed by my appearance. The path is narrow and there are trees immediately after the gate/stile and along the stream/river to the right which is down a steep bank. Because the cows were on the path I attempted to walk to the left of them on slightly higher ground I then heard stampeding and I looked uphill to see a cow running down the hill towards me and rearing its front legs and bucking – it was only a few meters away, I looked to my right and there were cows on the footpath who were now spooked by the cow and I had no choice but to run towards these cows away from the chasing cow and jumped down a very steep bank into the little stream/river and hoped that they wouldn’t chase me. I looked back and they all seemed very agitated so I tried to climb up the steep bank on the other side which was hard as it was wet and muddy and the ground kept falling away from me but there was no other way out. I eventually managed to climb up and ran back to the gate/stile. I was very lucky to escape and I think in part that was due to the fact that I could jump down a steep bank and climb out which wasn’t easy.”

Further comment: “The farmer has a lot of land here so why are the cows being allowed in the small section with the only footpath? Surely the footpath could be fenced off just like it has been done leading up to this section?”

Bullocks far too interested in a walker to feel safe

Incident number 1179
Date: 12.08.25
Site: The estate of Garthgwynion, in Llynfant valley, near Machynlleth.
Group of bullocks
1 person, no dog

Report: “I was about to cross the last metal gate, before continuing the Welsh Coastal Path from Machynlleth to Borth, (which passes through the estate of Garthwynion,) when I found a group of bullocks assembled on the other side, right in the middle of the path. I whistled loudly with my emergency whistle, and waved my arms frantically while shouting, and the animals got scared and run away a few meters from me, enough to let me cross. As I was passing in front of them, one of the animals decided to come towards me at a fast pace, soon followed by the rest of them. I sped towards the entrance gate of the estate, which fortunately wasn’t too far away.”

“No injury luckily, but it was a frightening experience.”

Close call near Ilminster

Report: 1175

Date: 2/8/25

Location: Near Ilminster, Somerset. Exact location: lined.otter.trout

1 person no dog

Report from Matthew: “I saw cattle were in the field but I managed to sneak into the field and walked quietly around the edge without them noticing but as I was nearing the exit, the herd noticed me and charged – very fast and making a lot of noise! I continued walking quickly (not running) and narrowly made it to the gate and got through just before they reached me. Scary.”

Surrounded by cattle in Warwickshire

Report: 1174

Date: 2/8/25

Location: We think the path we were on was the Hanson Track, Warwickshire. If you are driving down the A3400 out of Shipston, you take the turn right signposted to Tidmington that leads to Ditchford Road – it’s a field on the right marked as a public footpath just beyond High Furze and opposite a footpath on the other side.

2 people no dog

Report: “We entered the field on the footpath and started walking across, we turned and noticed cows approaching from the other side of the field at speed. We were walking along the edge of the field. The cows closed in quickly and we could not leave the way we came in. We saw another gate and moved towards that thinking we could shut it but we could not as the gate was tied open with pink twine. Cows came through and all surrounded us closely behind the gate. They were making some noises and a few kept trying to creep closer. We were worried that at any point one or some of them could potentially charge or trample us as we were trapped by the wall and an open gate. We stood trying to appear calm for 10 mins but they were not going anywhere and we could not find a number for the farm. “

“The cows kept coming close and we had to sit on top of the gate which wasn’t very high. We felt like we were left with little choice but to call emergency services as we were fearful of walking through the crowd of cattle that had not taken their eyes off us. We were told by emergency services that we had to try and make our way through first by being noisy and trying to walk through them. Although reluctant we felt we had to follow advice and started to yell “move” loudly and clap. A few started to back off and make enough room for us to walk past them. We managed to leave the field safely but were very intimidated as this could have gone horribly wrong.”

“We learned that we may have been given bad advice by being told to be loud.”

“The only signs visible was instructing us to keep dogs on leads and stick to the edges which we did. There was no mention of cattle or how to respond. We also didn’t see the cattle when we entered the field.”

“We ended the call with the police once we exited the field but we don’t think cows should be in a field labelled as a public footpath especially when there are lone walkers and dog walkers. We don’t want this to happen to others who may be elderly or more vulnerable (or less lucky!!)”

Chased by cattle on an exposed part of the Cornish Coastal Path

Report: 1167

Date: 26/7/2025

Location: Coastal path in North Cornwall, near Castle Point, St Gennys

1 person and dog

Report: “The cows ran to me and surrounded me, chasing my dog into a blackthorn bush over the cliff edge and also surrounding me. I stood my ground but had to shout at them to get a way out.

My dog was stuck in the blackthorn, but was lucky to be unharmed, I managed to get her out. She was less than a foot off from going over the edge of the cliff

The cows should not have been on such an exposed path. I am confident around cows so could deal with them. But the incident was very frightening, they were after my dog and very nearly killed her by forcing her off the cliff.”

“Cows with calves should not be put on fields with footpaths”

Report:1166

Date: 26/7/2025

Location: Grid Ref (start): SK08765494 Grid Ref (end): SK08735454 Footpath Grindon, Staffordshire

Group of walkers with dogs

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.”

Chased by cattle on The Cotswold Way

Report: 1164

DATE: 23/6/2025

Location: A field just off of Church Road in Cheltenham Gloucestershire, part of the Cotswold Way

3 people, 2 dogs

Report: “The cows were all the way on the far side of the field away from the gate that we were walking towards. We entered the field and started walking towards the next gate which would take us into the next field (without cows) to continue along the Cotswold Way. The cows started staring at us and flicking their tails, we kept calm, our dogs were kept on leads the whole time, they were not provoking or paying attention to the cows. The cows started to walk over slowly, we became a bit wary of this.

We almost got to the next gate and one cow started charging at me. Our group unfortunately split because we panicked and ran a bit away from it. We were now far from exit routes within the field and started to calmly walk back to the nearest one, the dogs still were not provoking it or doing anything to rile the cows. Then out of nowhere they charged at us, and there were around 20 cows in this field; they all started charging, the three of us got split, one of us ran towards the original exit and the other two of us ran other ways. All of these cows were suddenly charging towards one person, and luckily her and her dog got out of the gate, if she had been 3 seconds slower they would have trampled her and as there were so many of them I think the outcome would have been bad.

I luckily scrambled under a barbed wire fence into the second field as there was no way I could have walked safely out from that field. The third person managed to scramble over a fence because they didn’t have a dog. The cows stayed waiting at the fence staring at us.”

Walker frightened by cattle near Aldbury

Case No. 1159

Date of Incident 14 07 2025

Location On footpath on the outskirts of Aldbury, Hertfordsire, England

I person, 1 dog – on lead

Account “I was on my usual early morning dog walk that includes a field that had recently had a herd of black cows put in it. I’d been nervous of walking through it ever since, but a friend persuaded me cows are completely harmless and we walked through together and she demonstrated how to make my arms wide and make a loud strange noise if I felt threatened by them, which would warn them away.