Ruth Livingstone
My book: Walking the English Coast
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Winfield’s Award
Killer Cows: Cattle Safety
Boisterous cattle on the Cotswold Way stop walkers following the path.
Incident number: 1290Date: 2/8/26Site: On the Cotswold Way public footpath at Sands Farm (between Dyrham and Pennsylvania/ (Cold Ashton) just before where the Cotswold Way crosses Gorse Lane. The very approximate coordinates are 51.468770,-2.378849.Type of cow: Boisterous group of young cattle.2 walkers, no dog. Report: “At approximately 12:00 noon, Sunday 2nd August 2026, my mother […]
Cows with calves across major walking route
Incident number 1287Date: 26.07.26Site: Winnats Pass loop trail2 walkers and dog (on lead) Report: “The cows were stood next to the gate we needed to get through, as my friend and her dog carefully passed them to get through the gate a cow turned to her and began walking fast towards her, it’s head was […]
John was nearly killed by cows, HSE decide that a few signs will make this safe for future walkers.
Report: 1284 Date: 02/08/21 Location: Todmorden, West Yorkshire. On footpath from East Whirlaw Farm to Style Road. Approximate map reference 255 936 on OS Map OL21 Single careful walker, no dog John’s report: “I skirted around a group of cows as I walked downhill, but a number of the calves started to follow me. After […]
Tag Archives: britain
223 Pwllheli to Abersoch
I get on the wrong bus, meet monster trucks, and fill my pockets with pebbles. Continue reading
201 St Davids to Whitesands Bay
The path is positively crowded today, with swarms of kayakers and plagues of coasteerers. Continue reading
139a Clovelly to Buck’s Mills
On Hobby Drive, through the trees I get a sudden view of Clovelly. I am surprised to discover how little progress I have made in 30 minutes of easy walking. Continue reading
116 Porthleven to Praa Sands
I decide to ’embrace the wet’. This sounds like a good mantra. I start reciting it as I march along in my cloudy, wet world. ‘Embrace the wet.’ The path is overgrown. Wet branches lash against my legs. Through gritted teeth I chant, ‘Embrace the wet.’ Continue reading
74. Durlston Head to Chapman’s Pool
For some reason, I am feeling anxious about the walk today. I am unfit. Everyone has told me how rugged and difficult this section of the South West Coast Path is. Will I survive? Continue reading
30. Fobbing to Tilbury
“Or, if you walk into the village, you may be able to catch a bus.”
“I am not allowed to travel by bus,” I tell him.
If he thinks this is a little odd, he is too polite to say so.
Continue reading
28. Great Wakering to Southend to Leigh-on-Sea
Southend is full of sunlight but I am surrounded by warning signs. I am forbidden from walking along the beach – first by Ministry of Defence warning signs and later by an oil spill. I scratch my insect bites and have some close encounters with blackberry bushes, before becoming trapped in deep, dark stairwell …. Continue reading
26. Burnham on Crouch to Rochford
I am planning to make good progress over the next few days. Who knows, I might even manage to leave Essex. With 350 miles of coastline, Essex has the longest coastline in England. I was not aware of this fact before I encountered its miles of estuaries ….
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25. Tillingham Marshes to Burnham on Crouch
The Dengie peninsula is flat, marshy and has a coastal walk 17 miles in length. I suffer my first serious bout of boredom …. then I see a mirage, a strangely decorated gate and discover an enormous mushroom. Continue reading
Ruth's Coastal Walk (UK) 