"Wild animals and farm animals can behave unpredictably if you get too close, especially if they're with their young - so give them plenty of space."

OK, read my original post - there was no way through the gate, they were stood across the bloody footpath and there was no way round (apart from the wall we ended up climbing over to escape). Bolllocks to this 'give them a tap on the arse' lark. For one thing, their arses were the other way and they were packed tight and for yet another thing I bet old Farmer Giles would be well pissed off if he sees some 'panicky townie' giving old Buttercup a twat with a big stick.

If you've been raised with cows since the year dot then good for you - just don't assume everybody has the same lack of anxiety when it comes to being confronted with a field of frisky bovines - across a public right of way.

As Ruth mentions, Section 59 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 gives us rules on the keeping of bulls in fields with public rights of way - would the Countryside Alliance reps here like to point out to us ignorant townies what a bull 'not of a recognised dairy breed' might look like and contribute a bit of that knowledge for the common good?