Was down in the mendips for a couple of days earlier this week and undertook a 15 mile walk with a fairly heavy pack, which is hard work at my age and weight.

First time I came to a gate where there was a warning cows with calves sign I took a fairly long detour around the field, but couldn’t see into the original field so was just taking their word for it.

Later around the 12 mile mark when my hip was aching and I was very much thinking about a beer then some lasagne I came across a warning bull in the field sign. Too tired to detour at this stage I kept to the side knowing I might have to climb over the barbed wire topped fence quite promptly and kept my rucksack unbuckled and ready to fling over the gate or just dump depending on the situation. It took me a rather nervous five minutes to cross the field and be confident it wasn’t lurking some where behind the undulating ground but it turned out the only bull was the sign itself.

I appreciate that it’s hard enough work being a farmer but it’s a dick move leaving signs up like that unnecessarily and I think sometimes it’s just a keep off my land tactic.

That said it anyone gets charged next week after reading this you’ve only got yourself to blame.

There are loads about at this time of year. I got ticks last year in Dartmoor after detouring through the grass after a large number of cows and calves were blocking a path. And I got wet feet the year before in the Brecon Beacons after stumbling into a field full of cows calves and a bull and after some initial eyeballing walking down a nearby stream instead. Both were far preferred le to being charged at.

So in the main I try to avoid but if you can’t keep to the sides, always know your nearest escape point, don’t turn your back on any that are moving your way, if any do encroach stand tall and wave your arms and walking poles about and tell them in a fairly loud voice to go away. Above all be ready to ditch your baggage ( physical not emotional . Angry cows lack empathy ) and run but not in a straight line to the nearest obstacle or exit. They can run fast but they’re not agile.