Rowberrow Hill Fort & Warren Hike, Part VII,' West Mendip Way & Bullocks' by Sheila, June 7th 2021
Channel: semw52
Date: 2021-06-21

Well risk assessment always says -avoid cows -----and 99% of the time, since being chased on 3 occasions in the past 5 years and narrowly escaping over wobbly walls and barbed-wired fences, I have adhered to and agreed----but today like on other occasions  in this very field  I thought I could sneak across--keeping low  but today this beef herd were  wandering down to the lower fields  and were spread out munching as they went---At first  I thought the lower field would be the better option thinking the cattle were still higher up until half way across 2 large black bullocks  sauntered thru a gap----I made a quiet retreat remaining undetected by the herd ----So I then tried the adjacent higher field and began creeping slowly keeping close to the hedge ( no video footage  of this bit )Half way across about 8 big black bullocks  stood on my pathway--most of them took no notice of me because this is a public footpath with hikers  passing by throughout the day. So I continued and spontaneously decided that  I would employ deep farmer-like grunting noises which hopefully might have an effect also using my hiking stick almost as a magic wand to  distract their gaze ---I walked with a strong bold step grunting with my eyes firmly on the approaching stile  but aware that 2 bullocks were  becoming curious and starring almost in in surprise at this  figure passing just feet away from them-----------phew !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and drama I made it  only to find my legs were too short to get over the stile easily so I grasped  the old  railed gate and climbed up and over talking to the approaching bullocks ---safe at last I spoke with them kindly and even sang a brief  tune to them---relief but it could have been so different------------such a risk--I will not be  doing that again in a hurry------my tactics worked on this occasion---be alert folks and always  look for escape routes before  even trying to encounter our cow friends