Spoiled walks – Page 4 – Cattle Safety

Trapped on a tow path near Arundel

Incident number: 876
Date of incident: 18.05.24
Site: Tow path next to river Arun – going north from Arundel/Burpham on side of North Stoke- last field leading out to the Gurkha Bridge. In the past I have come across a very similar scenario in the field on the direct opposite side of the Arun (same farm/farmers?) but that time was able to turn round immediately as I could see them from the stile)

Description: I got half way across the field and met group of heifers on the path (about a dozen). The river was to my right and flood plain to my left so I had little choice but to continue or turn back (4 miles detour to where I was going!) – they looked bit lively so I decided to turn back.

My dog is a small puppy and just stayed by my side. As I walked back the whole group started following then trotting after us and some of them bucking whilst also fighting between them to get to the front – with about 5 yards left I decided I had to leave the dog and slip down to the river (very tidal!) or run.

I decided to sprint (luckily at 65 I’m pretty fit). I hurdled the stile with the whole herd inches behind me. Of my 65 years this was one of the scariest moments in my life! I took some photos of the heifers from the other side of the stile. I then had to walk the whole 4 miles back to where I started as the only other bridge is in Arundel town centre.
I had no injury but was badly frightened.

Comment: I normally don’t have problems with cows in a field as long as you can avoid them/take a wide berth and can exit the field in an emergency. Both these experiences were on tow paths where you are very vulnerable with nowhere else to go that is safe. My previous experience I mentioned in this area was over a year ago so clearly heifers being on the tow path in this area is not uncommon.

Mags just wants to walk a footpath in safety

Incident number: 877
Date: 31.05.24
Site: Field next to the Gate hangs Well pub, Syston. Near Lewin Bridge; roundabout where A607 & A46 cross.
I was on my own, no dog.

I’d planned the walk as it involved specific canal features, which I really wanted to see. I approached the field from the pub garden and I could hear the cows mooing and bellowing. When I went to the first gate to enter the field, they were staring at me, & the leader of the mob had head erect and kind of “alert” ears. From previous experiences, they give you a cursory glance, if that, and ignore you. I did think something wasn’t right, but told myself not to be silly. (Doesn’t matter now, as I’ll never enter a field of cows again. )

The cows were down the other end of field. I was crossing obliquely, away from them, from waymarker to waymarker. Suddenly one cow walked towards me, then the others followed. I went through a gate to exit their field and continue the walk, the cattle gathered round it watching me leave. Unfortunately, I couldn’t continue along the track as it was far too muddy, so I had no choice but to return. One cow was still in the gate, but moved when I got there. When I got through, they all started mooing and following me and I was almost surrounded. The cattle at the back started running, moving towards the gate I needed to get through to get out of that field, but luckily I just reached it before them. When I was through, they all stood blocking the gate; I haven’t been so scared since being followed on a towpath a few years ago. I thought I was going to be trampled to death. I will never enter a field with even one cow again.

It’s a waymarked public footpath, mentioned on maps and in walking guides. You can’t avoid crossing that field if you want to do that walk.

Mag’s final comment: Every field of cows that’s on a walking route should have a phone number so you can contact the farmer. On a previous occasion a gate on a walk near Kenilworth Castle was completely blocked by a herd of cows. I was going to turn back, but a couple came and shooed them away – with difficulty, and we all walked through together. But that’s it now; I’ve had it with cows and am reverting to my previous policy of not entering if there’s even one cow. I’ve been lucky twice, and won’t be so lucky again, I’m sure.

Very frightened by cattle

Incident number: 875
Date of incident: 30.05.24

Site: Llyn Eiddwen, Bronnant, Ceredigion | The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales nature reserve
Group of cows with calves present in field, large brown ones, not Jersey but similar colour.

I had two border collies with me, both were on leads as I entered a field by this nature reserve which leads down to the lake. There were no animals present in the field as far as I could see. I assumed the field was a part of the nature reserve as it led down to the lake, which the reserve is named after, there was nothing at all to indicate it was not part of the reserve.

I went down to the lake and stayed there for about five minutes. When I turned around a group of cows and calves had surrounded the gate, the only exit. I had no choice but to go and walk through them as there was no other way out. They had not been evident at the start and must have come over the brow of the hill.

I was terrified but hoped they would scatter when I approached them. They did move away slightly but then two of them approached me, they were very large, the dogs were barking at them. I was very scared and just moved past as fast as I could and ran to the gate and managed to open it and get through. I was shaking and terrified, I have never been so scared. There were about six or seven cows and several calves.

My dogs are safe but both were very frightened.

There were NO warning signs, private property signs or any indication whatsoever that there were cows or that this field was not part of the reserve. When I got home I did a lot of checking and that field is NOT part of the Nature Reserve – however is is RIGHT NEXT to the parking space and appears to be the way to enter the reserve.
I have reported this to Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales who are responsible for the nature reserve.

Comment: I was horrified by this, I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. It is criminal there is no notice up on a wildlife trust nature reserve, what if I’d had young kids with me? There was no other way out apart from up a steep boggy slope or possibly going all the way around a lake but there appeared to be a barbed wire fence halfway along. It is NOT good enough. Thanks for running this website – someone has to do it.

Alison’s spoiled and extended walk

Report number: 818

Date of incident: 11/9/2023

Site of incident: near Tintagel, Cornwall

We were following a footpath through farmland and went over a stile and the next footpath was directly ahead following the hedge line. Unfortunately, right at the other end of the field, directly in front of the stile was the herd of cows.

So as not to spook them by walking directly towards them, we tried to go around. Unfortunately, these cows seemed territorial and were undecided as to whether they were going to allow us through or not.

They started coming towards us which did not seem like curiosity or to see if we had food. There was no where to go and my 14 year old was really scared. I tried talking calmly to them – but it made no difference. They looked like they were on the verge of charging.

In the end I made myself as big as possible with my arm out wide and clapped shouting “Back”. This caught them off guard and we managed to squeeze around them and over the stile. They quickly pursued us to the stile but luckily we were safely over. We had to re-route for the way home.

We weren’t injured, just badly frightened.

Simons story – hunted by cattle

Response ID 291,908,092, Report number 792

Date of incident: 12/09/23

no dog lone walker

I was walking on my own on a footpath on the north side of the stream which flows east to Fordingbridge from beyond Rockbourne. I entered the large field by a stile at the east end with the exit stile at the west end. The path was parallel to a fence with stream lower down & brambles & shrubs filling the gap between the barbed wire fence & stream. The field rises on the right but stays level by the fence all the way to the exit stile. It seemed a long way on level ground to the exit in the west.

After a few steps I saw cattle grazing on the sky line near the top of the field. When I next looked one was staring at me. I avoided looking at them & walked a little faster. I looked up after a few seconds and the herd of about 10 cattle were walking down hill exactly towards me. I knew if they started to go faster I would not make it to the end. I quickened without running. I felt the ground vibrating, looked sideways & saw they were running towards me. The barbed wire fence on my left had brambles & thick vegetation behind it.