The National Trust has introduced cattle to the moorland at Brimham Rocks in Nidderdale.

A herd of Belted Galloways will graze the vegetation from June to October as part of the site’s moorland management plan.

The trust said grazing will improve the moorland at Brimham as well as improving the habitat for ground nesting birds.

A fence has been erected around the cattle’s roaming area on the south and north moors. To maintain Brimham moorland as open access land, gates have been installed on public rights of way as well as on the most popular desire lines.

Natural heather moorland habitats are rarer than rainforest. According to the Moorland Association, 75% of the world’s remaining heather moorland is found in Britain and that habitat has been declining rapidly.

The moorland at Brimham has the distinction of being home to three local varieties: ling heather, bell heather and cross-leaved heath. Unattended bracken will damage the heather moorland beyond repair, according to the trust.

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Brimham Rocks

Alec Boyd, area ranger at Brimham Rocks said reintroducing cattle was “a very important step to improving the condition of the moor”, adding: 

“We are using cattle instead of sheep or horses because the cattle rips and pulls rather than nibbles at the vegetation.

“They also eat on the move, a little here and a little there, and are less selective than sheep or horses – they aren’t as choosy about what they eat. This helps create a varied age structure that will benefit other species that call moorland their home.”

Belted Galloways are hardy but placid, which means they are unlikely to be fazed by members of the public and their dogs.

A trust spokesperson said it acquired Brimham Rocks in 1970 and there has not been any grazing since then, but it is thought grazing took place prior to this.

Further information is available here.

A Harrogate district rambler has urged walkers to follow safety advice amid ongoing problems with cows on public rights of way.

The district is popular with walkers and also has a lot of cattle. Many walkers are nervous about passing the animals, particularly if dogs and calves are also involved.

A blog called Killer Cows, which includes accounts of livestock attacks, recently featured a post from hikers in Little Ribston, between Knaresborough and Wetherby.

It describes how a man and a woman walking a dog were “surrounded” by 50 cows on a public footpath. It says the cows tried to trample the dog and head-butted the man in the shoulder. The post concludes:

“We were both terrified. We are lucky to still be alive.”

It is not an isolated incident and sometimes the issue has tragic consequences,

An inquest in Harrogate in July found that Dave Clark, a deputy headteacher at Richmond School, died after suffering a blow to the chest from a cow which ran at him on a public right of way in a field in Richmond last year.

‘It is a problem’

Andrew Willoughby, who is part of the Harrogate Group of the Ramblers, said clashes on public rights of way between hikers and cattle continued to be an issue.

Farmers are entitled to graze cattle on public rights of way.

However, the number of incidents has prompted both the National Farmers Union and the Ramblers Association to issue advice to walkers and farmers.

Mr Willoughby urged walkers to follow the guidance when cattle start grazing again after winter.

He said:

“Yes, it is a problem.

“The main thing is when you go into a field, you just do not know if there may be some aggressive cattle.”

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What walkers should do

The NFU and Ramblers Association both urge walkers to be “mindful” that the countryside is a “working environment” where cattle graze.

The NFU says walkers should be “vigilant” and “try to stay away from animals and to be aware of their movement”.

Dogs should be kept under close control, but owners are advised not to hang on to them if threatened by cattle. Instead, they should let go of the lead and let the dog run to safety.

The advice says:

“This offers the best chance of a safe outcome to both you and your dog. If you feel threatened by animals protecting their territory or young, do not run. Move to the edge of the field and, if possible, find another way round.”

Further guidance urges walkers not to get close to cattle. Walkers should also avoid getting between cows and their calves, the advice says.

It adds that, if cattle do begin to follow, then hikers should walk on quietly.

Mr Willoughby added that people should avoid bright coloured clothing when walking in fields with cattle in them.