Locating grazing animals on a trail

[RunBrianRun]

I know there are quite a few runners that like to avoid bumping into cattle out on the trails, and several of us have had unpleasant encounters too. Some free range grazers are now being fitted with a GPS tag. The great thing is there is a website called grazingmap.nofence.no and you can check out any cattle in a 20km radius of your location. Obviously relies on your local farmers using the system, but worth checking out to see if they do. I’m hoping that, in time, more farmers start using it so we can plan trail runs that avoid these fields. 👍

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Cool idea!!!

[misswobble Marathon]

Crikey! I would be amazed if my local farmers had any such thing but I’m off to have a look. Them frisky cows don’t ‘alf give me the jitters. So big, so close, so mobile 😬

I love them though but healthy respect an all that ✊🐄.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

We can’t outrun them either. I checked that little fact once….😳

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

😂 I’ll give them a good run for their money 😅

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

I bet you could Brian!

[Ant50 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

That reminds me of a sign I once saw on a field gate which said “if you think you can cross this field in two minutes, don’t bother as the Bull can do it in one!” Enough said !

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Ant50]

Brilliant!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Great idea. When I get home, I’m going to ask my local farmers if they have it…..

We once had a herd of cows escape the field and trot down the road. Thank goodness I wasn’t running that day 😱

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

It does seem a sensible idea

[Niteflite Half Marathon]

That would be wonderful. I’ve been nervous every since I had the entire herd galloping flat out towards me. I think they had friendly intentions but I’m very wary of them now.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Niteflite]

I hope it helps. I haven’t had it happen to me and I hope it never does. Must be terrifying

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Niteflite]

Oh gawd. Terrifying 😱

I was once picking wildflowers and some horses came galloping towards me. One of the so*S bit my bicep ! I think they were used to being given treats. I had a massive bruise 🙄

I have a great respect for large animals and try not to get myself noticed 😎👀😁

[Niteflite Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

When I was a girl I used to go with friends and take bread for the horses on a common. You can imagine what happened! Very frightening!! Luckily it didn’t put me off as I went on to work with horses.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Niteflite]

Good for you! 😀👍

[Frenc Half Marathon]

An old photo, but this cow was not for moving!

Cow on steps.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Did she let you pass? 😂

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

I remember walking round her carefully - you can’t really see it but it’s ever so steep and I’m amazed she walked up in the first place! 😊

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Frenc]

I would have politely asked it to “shoo”. Had it not I would have given it a huge berth Anything you say cow 😁

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

😂 that made me laugh out loud 😂

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

I had a “ the sky is falling down” experience a couple of years back. I was running on a trail and someone stopped to say that there were some escaped cows ahead; I thanked them, and ran on. A couple of hundred yards further on and the same thing happened…..eventually I came across the herd, munching away contentedly across the trail. I just ran on past them and they didn’t move a muscle. In my youth I often walked through fields of cows and never had a problem. Maybe I have been lucky. Bullocks are a different proposition…curious, fast, full of energy and mischief and likely to run at you as a group…..hooligans to be treated with care!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Mother cows with calves are the dangerous ones

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

These are what crowd my trail and scare the bejesus outta me 😱

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Definitely better safe than sorry. When I was a lad we used to go mushrooming in the Dales countryside; we never gave cows a thought. Bulls are supposed to be ok when they are with cows, but I wouldn’t bank on it! I wouldn’t get between any mother and their offspring regardless of species.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Oh yes; same as we are if we feel that our young are threatened, but cows pack a much bigger punch…

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

They are LARGE animals! But gorgeous - I love seeing the young ones getting curious about the humans hiking past, although I prefer it when they're on the other side of a fence 😂

[misswobble Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Yeah me anorl 😁