So what is the reality from your vantage point in York?.
For us locals, the little blighters are a right pest. They have destroyed many of the road verges in the Forest...its like driving through a freshly ploughed field! Friends have stopped going for walks with dogs because of canine/porcine conflict specially in the breeding season.
Simon Blease
Monmouth
The mental cows stayed at a safe distance today ~ they like to run wildly in every direction, no matter how wide a berth I give them; last week one of them jumped over a (pretty dilapidated) fence, taking it slightly closer to me than on the other side. Crazy. Especially as the gates were all open.
Instead of cows, I was chased by a sheep for quite a distance, and I suspect stung by a wasp on the lip.
Our lass chases the cows for me usually. The other night got a bit too hairy for my liking though. I was ready to bolt, but she stood her ground. Still not sure its the wise thing to do always...shout 'cush' and wave your arms at twenty cows, a dozen calfs and a big bull! Still we survived! I did thank her for her efforts.
I M Povey New Marske Harriers
http://manwithoutashed.blogspot.com
down hill mountain biking in Morzine we came flying round a muddy bend in a track through a wood to find a herd of cows on the path! this caused a prompt bail out on to the meadow at high speed...
Had a few hairy incidents when younger doing hiking competitions around Cheshire. We used to shout "I'm the f****r!" at them and wave our arms about; that seemed to work. Only had to ditch the rucksac and run once.
As I got older I got to thinking the profanity was unnecessary and it was just the shouting and positive body langauge that did the job, but I've camped fairly regularly only a working farm in the Welsh speaking part of Wales and they shout "Mother F****r" at the livestock when they're moving them about.