IT’S great seeing all the cattle in the Dales, but what’s the best course of action if they’re in a field you want to walk across, and they think you are the most fascinating thing they’ve seen all day? Lesley Tate - minus her dog- decides a long detour is best.

NEARING the end of a long and very wet walk, on a footpath at the entrance to a field a mile and a half from Otterburn I spied a herd of cattle in the far distance.

As I stood at the gate, they saw me and enthusiastically galloped - if cattle do gallop - towards me. Now, I didn’t have a dog, I had left him behind, knowing that I might come across livestock and not wanting the bother.

There was no reason I could see why this herd, which were Highland crosses and included calves, would be so interested in me, but they were. And the path went right through the middle of them.

I was brought up in the country, am familiar with cows and have frequently encountered cattle in fields, both with and without a dog. I usually skirt around them and generally get to the other side without too much bother.

But, of late, and it might just be a coincidence, the cows I am coming across are just too curious for comfort. Now, I know the advice, steer clear and if you have a dog with you and you’re chased, let go of the dog.

Be calm, I’ve also heard, don’t wave your arms around, they’ll just get all excited. Another time, I was on the Pennine Way, near Gargrave, and this time with the dog. A load of cattle rushed over; that ended with me and the dog sprinting to the stile, with the cattle in hot pursuit, and I swear with huge grins on their faces.

So, going back to my recent encounter, what do you do if you can’t skirt round a herd of especially curious cattle? I wasn’t feeling brave, so I climbed over a five bar gate and walked along the edge of the field, on the other side of a wall, the cattle meanwhile ran and bucked on the other side, following me all the way along.

In the next field however was another herd, a different type of cattle and including a large bull. This lot were a lot less lively, but I didn’t fancy walking through them either. Again, I took a long diversion which involved climbing over an electric fence and sinking into a bog, and taking me way of the footpath, which I really don’t like to do.

So, did I do the right thing? Would I have annoyed the farmer by going off the footpath, should I have turned around and retraced my steps - adding another eight miles onto my walk?

I wonder what would have happened had I continued on the path, which incidentally was one of the more popular rights of way in the national park. Very likely nothing, but I was on my own, and just didn’t fancy it. I was recently at Malham Cove where the parish council has suggested a by-law insisting dogs be kept on leads at all times, in reaction to the number of attacks on sheep. On the path to the Cove there were plenty of cattle, some lying across the path, and not one of them looked up as I passed by.

So, perhaps it is just a case of familiarity, and the cattle I encounter just don’t see enough people.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park encourages visitors to the park to follow the Countryside Code, which says gates should be left as found and paths followed ‘unless wider access is available’.

Dogs should be kept under control and signs should be followed.

In addition, its ‘Ranger Code’ is a more helpful, saying that the ‘ countryside is a working environment and can be a dangerous place.’

Hazards can include pot holes fast-flowing rivers, farm traffic - and cows.

Cattle, it says are ‘naturally inquisitive, and if you are approached by them while walking in the Dales, you should walk slowly, and if you have a dog, keep it to heel.

If you feel threatened, you should let go of your dog, says the code, adding it can run faster than cattle and will escape. Once you are safely out of the field, regain control of your dog - hopefully, its not run all the way home.

The advice is to walk round cows with calves, as walking between them ‘ can be seen as a threat’ and, if in doubt, not to enter the field at all.

So, my not entering the field with the calves was the right thing to do, although I might avoid that particular walk for a few weeks, at least until the cattle have all gone.