Latest News: Read more



Discussion Forum - The Bothy - Cows - again...


Author: Iain Connell
Posted: Sun 9th Oct 2016, 14:59
Joined: 2010
Local Group: East Lancashire
Following a recent conversation with someone who come to avoid solo recces because of recent encounters with cattle, I concur that carrying a (and just one ?) walking pole - another in the increasingly long list of secondary uses - seems to deter them.

On the occasions when I've been approached or followed by herds of cattle or sheep (are wild ponies/horses a problem in e.g. Dartmoor, Exmoor, the New Forest ?), or untethered dogs in farms, I point the pole at the leader (there's always one), walk (and NEVER run) determinedly on, and/or stick the pole out behind me (some people do this in groups and while negotiating stiles - please don't!) with clear intent.

This has been on only very few occasions in very many years. Other than the pole, I suggest avoiding eye contact (if they look up from feeding and back down, no problem; if their eyes follow you, look down) and *going round* them wherever possible. In particular, avoid getting between cows and calves. On recent walks on bridleways with horse-riders (more obvious in areas with lots of stables ?) I've learned to hold the pole upright and against the 'hidden' side of my body - carrying 'a stick' does seem to make horses nervous.

Walking poles will always telescope up (in my present case, fold) for carrying or storing. If cattle are a problem for you I suggest trying one.

Iain
Author: Raymond Wilkes
Posted: Sat 21st May 2016, 21:27
Joined: 2013
Local Group: West Yorkshire
They can be very scary. Pointing a trecking pole at them usually means they keep their distance. Shout at them. You have to keep you nerve and outface them. Easier said than done especailly if your companions are panicking!
Author: Adam Dawson
Posted: Tue 17th May 2016, 17:22
Joined: 2013
Local Group: London
I think cows are the biggest hazard facing any walker, long distance or not.

I was threatened repeatedly by cows on LEJOG in 2014 and it can be quite terrifying. I don't have a dog but they were still unsettled by my presence. No way really of tell what sort of mood they are going to be in until you are in their midst and by then it's too late.

Only remedies I have found are firstly to avoid walking near cows at dusk, as they seem to be far more frisky then, and secondly plan your escape route (eg over a wall) and make sure you can get to it quicker than they can get to you!
Author: Pete Dawes
Posted: Thu 12th May 2016, 21:53
Joined: 2015
Local Group: Staffordshire
I try and avoid cows or stride through the field as quickly as possible but have been chased by cows and I don't have a dog. It happened twice during a challenge event in November, it usually happens near the end when I'm tired and the last thing I want is cows chasing me!!!
Author: Peter Steckles
Posted: Mon 21st Mar 2016, 21:00
Joined: 1998
Local Group: East Lancashire
should have gone to Specsavers...
Author: Raymond Wilkes
Posted: Mon 8th Jun 2015, 20:06
Joined: 2013
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Just looked at the news story. Cows have very poor vision and the cow may have assumed a small child was a dog. I have seen them attack a small deer!
Cows see very little, just the approx size when a thing is moving.
Author: Raymond Wilkes
Posted: Mon 8th Jun 2015, 20:03
Joined: 2013
Local Group: West Yorkshire
One weird thing we have noticed with cows is that the use of an umbrella agitates them so the odd times we are using one we always take it down in a field of cows.
They may not like big capes either
Author: John Pennifold
Posted: Mon 8th Jun 2015, 10:04
Joined: 1996
Local Group: London
Author: Mark Garratt
Posted: Thu 4th Jun 2015, 20:57
Joined: 2016
Local Group: Heart of England
I find the agressive approach works , tried it on the apocalypse 50 a few weeks ago as there was no way I was going round after 40 miles ha ha and it worked . Also tried it last weekend in hadrians wall path and it worked if you look scared the cows tend to sense that and maybe charge
Author: Ian Sykes
Posted: Wed 3rd Jun 2015, 20:31
Joined: 1986
Local Group: East Yorkshire
Mmmm looking down the list of posts, I posted the same photos two years ago. Put it down to old age. Wife is always telling me I forget most things she tells me to do. ;-)
Author: Ian Sykes
Posted: Wed 3rd Jun 2015, 20:27
Joined: 1986
Local Group: East Yorkshire
Different people have different approaches when it comes to cows.

John Wood takes the more aggressive approach to cows.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3199082

Me, I'm more laid back about cows.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3199062
Author: John Pennifold
Posted: Mon 1st Jun 2015, 15:53
Joined: 1996
Local Group: London
In the past 2 weeks, two people that I know were attacked by cows in separate incidents and I narrowly missed being trampled in a stampede.
Our treasurer in the Solihull Photo Soc was trampled by one particular cow while walking his dog near Solihull. Apparently it continually stamped on him before walking off. His dog was unharmed but he suffered multiple fractured ribs and much abdominal bruising. He was evacuated by air ambulance. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/dog-walker-trampled-herd-cows-9247772.
The 7-year old son of a work colleague was attacked in a field in Derbyshire last week while walking with his father & grandmother. No dog was involved. This particular cow threw the grandmother into a bush then pinned down the boy with its head while trying to repeatedly stamp on him. The steep slope it was on prevented it from stamping properly. His father fought this cow for several minutes before actually getting underneath the cow & lifting its front legs while somebody grabbed the boy. The boy was unconscious but made a full recovery.
While on the Red Rose 100 last weekend, I was walking through a field by a river. I passed 5 or so peaceful calves then saw a herd of cows milling excitedly at the end of the track which I was walking. There were people with them & I thought the farmer was moving them. Then suddenly the whole herd was running full tilt down the track towards me. Luckily there was a large tree close by and I sheltered behind this while the cows stampeded past me on both sides. Had there been no tree I think there would have been a different outcome. The figures ahead weren't the farmer but Red Rose supporters who had also been surprised by the cows. They said that somebody on the hill had panicked the cows which ran down towards them before veering off towards me. At the next CP I got a message sent to event HQ to highlight the potential problem.
Take care. Cows can be VERY dangerous.
Author: Eileen Greenwood
Posted: Sun 14th Jul 2013, 23:12
Joined: 2002
Local Group: Yorkshire Coast
By the way- cows are colour blind. Like most mammals. Birds see colour. But cows and bulls see black and white. So bright colours mean nothing. The bull fighters in Spain make use of waving flags/cloth to draw their attention.Their use of red is for the human crowd not the bulls.

I have a final damage scenario in case of cows/bullocks/bull- wave my rucksac//Jacket on the end of my walking pole or just wave rucksac and hope for the best and head for the nearest hedge!
Author: Ian Sykes
Posted: Tue 9th Jul 2013, 18:16
Joined: 1986
Local Group: East Yorkshire
Different people have different views on cows.

John Woods approach is maybe a little heavy handed.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3199082


Mine is little more easy going.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3199077
Author: Frank Cartwright
Posted: Tue 9th Jul 2013, 14:02
Joined: 1978
Local Group: Lakeland
I have never had problems with cows over 35 years with the LDWA , and the only incident I can remember was walking overnight on a challenge walk finding 40 cows eyes aimed at me as I crossed a field in the dark , my pace did go up a bit. When with my dog I always took her off the leash to find her own way when there were cows in the field . What I do find it is best to walk straight to the cows if if they are on the footpath ahead as they always seem to move for me , even around styles, and if they follow me they just stop turn round and look at them they are more frightened than us. Running away from them just make them excited and then can be dangerous .
Author: Michael Jones
Posted: Mon 1st Jul 2013, 12:31
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Heart of England
I had a near miss a couple of years ago when I was out by myself in Warwickshire - again, no dogs or calves involved. I happened to look round and saw a line of half a dozen cows running full tilt in my direction. I legged it, and made it to the kissing gate at the end of the field five yards or so ahead of them.

There was another nasty incident on last year's Coventry Way: http://www.acoventryway.org.uk/acw_r2012.htm
Author: Dr. John Batham
Posted: Mon 10th Jun 2013, 19:55
Joined: 2007
Local Group: East Yorkshire
Devence? where did I get that from? Defence I guess..off to lie down. EDL are disturbing
Author: Dr. John Batham
Posted: Mon 10th Jun 2013, 17:40
Joined: 2007
Local Group: East Yorkshire
It's an English Devence League thing...don't trust Johnny Foreigner, even when he...she, is a cow!
Author: John Pennifold
Posted: Mon 10th Jun 2013, 17:15
Joined: 1996
Local Group: London
There was a short piece in the news on the BBC this morning about cows. Apparently the traditional British cows are relatively Ok with people, it's the imported continental cows which are potentially more dangerous. They did give a list of breeds but I have been uable to find this list on the BBC website. It seems that farmers are not supposed to put those breeds into fields which contain public footpaths.
Author: Chris Pitt
Posted: Fri 7th Jun 2013, 21:33
Joined: 2004
Local Group: Dorset
Millions of people walk through fields every year and thankfully incidents with cattle are rare. Myself, I must walk across cow fields most weekends and the only incidents I can recall is finding a calf stuck in a kissing gate and walking into a electric fence whilst keeping an eye on a bull. But I do find cattle are uneasy about dogs.
Sadly Grough is reporting another incident:
A walker was injured and his dog was killed when they were attacked by cattle http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2013/06/07/walker-injured-and-dog-killed-in-malham-cattle-attack
Author: Geoff Deighton
Posted: Thu 23rd May 2013, 11:08
Joined: 1981
Local Group: High Peak
Please have a look at my posting of 11th July 2011 on this subject. Dogs, calves and bright colours aren't always a factor. Never be complacent when near cows!
Author: Bill Lancashire
Posted: Mon 20th May 2013, 10:21
Joined: 2003
Local Group: South Wales
My own view and experience of these situations is that herd of relatively young cattle are not necessarily aggressive but in fact 'playful'. If one starts running across the field they think it is a game and join in. The problem occurs when the human stops running as the brakes on the cow/bull/heifer/bullock are not as good and 'trampling' can occur!. I've never had a problem when walking slowly.
Author: Christopher Smith
Posted: Mon 20th May 2013, 10:10
Joined: 2013
Local Group: Wiltshire
My experience has been that dogs are a big factor in these occurences, but remember once on a running race I and a friend were chased by a herd and had to leap a stile to get away. Possibly it is fast moving things that spook them - i.e. kids, dogs, runners? I walked past several herds this weekend and got barely a glance from any of them.
Author: Peter Steckles
Posted: Wed 15th May 2013, 22:35
Joined: 1998
Local Group: East Lancashire
I am not judging.

However, myself and my then young family were chased by heard of cows.

I can assure you there were no dogs involved - just cows, and I shudder to think what might have happened if one of us had lost our footing.

Sadly, my wife has never been out walking since. Bad experience.

Cows are the female version of Bulls, which also charge from time to time.

Just a warning to others to take care. ;)

Regards
Author: Tony Willey
Posted: Wed 15th May 2013, 20:45
Joined: 1989
Local Group: Lakeland
It would be wise to reserve judgement until all the facts are available, but it is the combination of dogs and cows which is the significant factor to me.
Author: Peter Steckles
Posted: Wed 15th May 2013, 19:39
Joined: 1998
Local Group: East Lancashire

This website uses cookies

To comply with EU Directives we are informing you that our website uses cookies for services such as memberships and Google Analytics.

Your data is completely safe and we do not record any personally identifiable information.

Please click the button to acknowledge and approve our use of cookies during your visit.

Learn more about the Cookie Law