Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Scribble on October 26, 2010
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I headed to Newcastle to walk along Murlough with the dog but on the way through I seen the top of Donard for a split second and for some stupid reason I decided to go up it instead. I parked at bloody bridge and went from there super lightweight one bottle of water one Turkish delight and ten fags . I got to top ok and could see dam all due to cloud so I did not stay for long and decided to head down towards Glen fofanny river as I have never come down that side .
This is where it all went wrong I made it half way down and I seen the highland cattle and put dog on lead and made sure I kept my distance , one of these cattle looked a bit miffed at me for walking past and I thought nothing off it as cattle in general are placid or so I thought , I heard the hoofs first and looked round to see the miffed cow now looking extremely pissed at me while running towards me I have been around cattle long enough to know what to do and that's run. Two others decided it must be fun and joined in , my dog had been true to his master and legged it and left me on my own (pay back for me getting him the chop) I had to jump slide and bump into river where I then twisted my ankle, the cattle stopped and blew through their nostrils and I could swear they where laughing as I lay in a heap . I had to hobble down to track (2hrs of pain)where I meet a man (Donal thanks again)who helped me back to car luckily I drive an automatic .my ankle is screwed I have cuts and bruises to my ass and back but I'm home and save.
I have learned a few things from this
1. Always bring my mobile
2. Always tell someone where I'm going as I could still be lying there if I had been rammed or broke ankle
3. My dogs sleeping outside tonight for being such a pussy
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I've always been wary of cows but everyone always says they're never a problem. Though they do go for dogs I hear.
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Hey Andy
Glad to hear you are ok kinda.
Take it easy on the dog.
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Hey Andy
Glad to hear you are ok kinda.
Take it easy on the dog.
He is alright we are both curled up on couch beside the fire ;D
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Nasty. Glad you made it off the mountain without anything broken. Hat tip to Donal.
Have seen them Highland Steaks at bloody bridge (and white horses further up the hill) they are bold, had to walk around them once since they weren't for moving off the path...how about firing a Frank at the Bloody Bridge Camp site (enquiry@mournecamping.com) and email see if he knows who owns them, give them the heads up on what happened, before it happens to someone less agile.
Though they do go for dogs I hear.
Yup, they are just **very** interested in them, if the cattle get too close/start running at you and your dog on a lead best thing is just let them off the lead and let them fend for themselves...too may stories of folks getting tramped trying to 'protect' their dogs from cattle..
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Cheers will indeed send Frank a wee email and when we walked up there for our bivvy we walked right past them with no hassle . I know cows can get excited about dogs but mine had run the other way while these cows had their sights firmly on me and I was not even wearing red ::)
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Guys, I'd go easy on reporting stuff like this to landowners/farmers. Some of them have a very hard time with recreational users of the hills damaging gates, fences, walls and there has been a huge increase in the number of sheep killed in dog attacks in the Mournes in recent years. Telling them stuff like this won't help relations between the farmers and recreational users.
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I hear what you are saying simon, but I've had a couple of frank conversations with Frank (sic), and he's as open minded towards us descent hikers/wild campers/dog owners...as he's enraged by illegal campers/fire starters/dangerous dog owners.
That aside if there are animals that are overly 'excitable' by the close presence of humans, esp. on a well walked 'public' path, the responsible thing to do IMHO is to report it to someone (police?/USPCA?/Down Council Environmental Health dept.? or even the Mourne Heritage Trust (http://www.mournelive.com/)), if them walking steak burgers had decided to chaise someone less mobile as Andy (think family with small kids or older walkers) things could have got even nastier (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8216869.stm).
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Chuck if you need to tell anyone, give Matthew, the Countryside Services Manager, at the MHT a call and tell him. Telling anyone else is either going to be a waste of time (the police won't act as no crime is being committed, the USPCA won't act because no cruelty is being perpetrated and the Down Council will just (rightly) say it's a farming matter). Worst of all is to contact the farmer directly - it'll be totally counter-productive. Much of the land we walk on in the Mournes is privately owned farmland and unless you understand the legal basis for access to that land (i.e. there is none) and the unfair legal responsibilities that the landowners face then telling a farmer that he's got to keep his herd under control on what may be his own land is not going to help keep the land open for everyone. So like I said, if you have to tell anyone tell the MHT, they know who owns what and the history behind the problems those landowners face. They more than anyone can approach the matter sensitively.
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Mourne Heritage Trust it is then, thanks for the contact name.
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I had already emailed Frank before I left for wkend and I explained what had happened and by no means I was complaining or wanting to take matter any further that I just thought it right to tell someone local , his reply I got next day thanking me for letting him know and he finished by saying that he hoped that I was not put off enjoying the mournes by my experience ,
I asked my dad (a vet) what he thought caused this , he said my ugly mug so I think matter is put to bed now and thanks for all replys with info ;)