- Time of past OR future Camino
- Too many and too often!
Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here. |
---|
On one of my Caminos a calf had obviously gotten out of the fence; (he wanted to walk the Caminonever underestimate a cow defending her calf.
never get between them and just give them both a wide berth.
On my first Camino the route crossed a field not far from Roncesvalles - long since rerouted. A large bull stood right in the middle of the path. A worrying sight on my first morning in Spain. No signs of any aggression and I made a wide circle around him!Does anyone else remember this happening to them?
If you'd have turned around in fear and hightailed it back to SJPdP, you may never have completed your first Camino, let alone the plethora you have walked all these many years since.On my first Camino the route crossed a field not far from Roncesvalles - long since rerouted. A large bull stood right in the middle of the path. A worrying sight on my first morning in Spain. No signs of any aggression and I made a wide circle around him!
True. But it was my first full day in Spain and my mind was full of clichés. Spain? Bull??? At that point I still believed that Spain was all heat and dust and bullringsIf you'd have turned around in fear and hightailed it back to SJPdP, you may never have completed your first Camino, let alone the plethora you have walked all these many years since.
Well, I was kind of exaggerating. I have a bear phobia and can not totally enjoy myself when I've hiked numerous times over the years in our beautiful Rockies. I seriously thought Spain's Caminos were "bear free" zones, but recent threads have shown me otherwise. I do not want to worry when I head out again on the Sanabres next month.True. But it was my first full day in Spain and my mind was full of clichés. Spain? Bull??? At that point I still believed that Spain was all heat and dust and bullrings
Really? My reputation must have changed lately. My mother told me once that I was far too serious for my years. She said that I was born aged 40 and just got older and more boring every year from then on....The title (and Bradypus's authorship) made me expect a joke:
Yes I had the same experience same exact spot. I tried several times and turned around. Then a young lady from Belgium came along. She was too preoccupied with other troubles to give a crap about the bulls & cows with enormous horns. I walked right by her side and nobody was gorged.Oh gosh, the title of this thread made me laugh, but it shouldn't have. It must have been really scary. Made me think of a place on the Norte that my husband and I walked through. The camino path went right through a herd of cows with no fencing. There were quite a number of cows including some calves and even a bull. We were really really nervous walking through there. It was about half way between Naves and Ribadesella: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z66nv9EQdpDeXKFi7 I'll attach a couple of photos. (But, as you can see from the photos, the cows mostly ignored us.) Does anyone else remember this happening to them at that point?
If you'd have turned around in fear and hightailed it back to SJPdP, you may never have completed your first Camino, let alone the plethora you have walked all these many years since.
Yes, the church in that field offered the protection of the divine.Bovines on the divine…..
We witnessed some pilgrim in a field with Bulls. The owner was screaming at him in Spanish to get out but he kept walking thru the herd. Understandable the owner was furious. Please, this is someone’s livelihood and property. We are guests.Something a little unusual on the Spanish news websites today. Two pilgrims forced to climb an oak tree to escape from a cow defending her calf. Apparently they called the Guardia Civil from their perch in the tree and the Guardia moved the cattle to allow the pilgrims to continue their journey.
La Guardia Civil auxilia en Cáceres a dos peregrinos que se subieron a una encina cuando trató de embestirles una vaca
Agentes de la Guardia Civil han auxiliado a dos peregrinos que se subieron a una encina cuando trató de embestirles una vaca cuando iban realizando el...www.cope.es
Parts of the Via de la Plata cross the vast dehesa enclosures with cattle, pigs and sheep. Nothing in the article suggests that the pilgrims had wandered off the marked path. But it would be wise to steer clear of cattle with calves as much as possible.We witnessed some pilgrim in a field with Bulls. The owner was screaming at him in Spanish to get out but he kept walking thru the herd. Understandable the owner was furious. Please, this is someone’s livelihood and property. We are guests.
Better a protective mother cow as opposed to a rabid dog or bear.Something a little unusual on the Spanish news websites today. Two pilgrims forced to climb an oak tree to escape from a cow defending her calf. Apparently they called the Guardia Civil from their perch in the tree and the Guardia moved the cattle to allow the pilgrims to continue their journey.
La Guardia Civil auxilia en Cáceres a dos peregrinos que se subieron a una encina cuando trató de embestirles una vaca
Agentes de la Guardia Civil han auxiliado a dos peregrinos que se subieron a una encina cuando trató de embestirles una vaca cuando iban realizando el...www.cope.es
Mainly through Obesity and Heart Attack - not joking eitherCows kill more people than sharks do
Wonderful photo, thanks for sharing!On the Caminho Nascente in Portugal we saw several ‘Careful: Wild Cattle’ (or similar) signs. One such time we saw them ahead of us and had a long-distance staring contest until they moved away. That moment created one of my favourite photos from that camino of Wendy, the cows, the trail and the Alentejo countryside:
View attachment 166143
i have seen madly aggressive cows. Had to have 3 shot on separate occasions after they escaped at markets. You can tell when they want to kill humans as the whole body posture changes. Never underestimate cattle. Treat them with respect and they respect you.My grandfather was a dairy farmer. Spent a few summers with cows. They are usually docile. Bulls however.. Depending on the circumstances they can be very dangerous. From what I observed if they are still intact and in with cows they can be aggressive. I’ve never witnessed an aggressive cow.
This may be because there are more of them. Sharks also tend not to hang around in fields in large groups.Cows kill more people than sharks do. No joke.
They seem to prefer golf courses.Sharks also tend not to hang around in fields in large groups.
I have been caught in this type of situation a few times and it is a bit unsettling when walking on a narrow stretch with barely anywhere to step off the trail. I took this photo last year when the cows started coming around a bend, but eventually there were at least 20 crowding the path.In addition you get accidents. Especially in narrow lanes when I saw a pilgrim accidentally gored buy a passing cow startled while moving with a small herd.
A repost:I am very wary (read scared) of them, as I was once attacked by a cow, for no apparent reason
I do recall that spot, on a no cow day.Oh gosh, the title of this thread made me laugh, but it shouldn't have. It must have been really scary. Made me think of a place on the Norte that my husband and I walked through. The camino path went right through a herd of cows with no fencing. There were quite a number of cows including some calves and even a bull. We were really really nervous walking through there. It was about half way between Naves and Ribadesella: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z66nv9EQdpDeXKFi7 I'll attach a couple of photos. (But, as you can see from the photos, the cows mostly ignored us.) Does anyone else remember this happening to them at that point?
Spanish cows are very big and gave long horns, quite unsettlingI have been caught in this type of situation a few times and it is a bit unsettling when walking on a narrow stretch with barely anywhere to step off the trail. I took this photo last year when the cows started coming around a bend, but eventually there were at least 20 crowding the path.
View attachment 166169
Yes, also on the Norte. Except in my case, the trail through the cows was only a few feet wide and hemmed in by hedges. No place to run if a cow (or the bull) decided to get ornery. Having grown up around cows, I just walked through them (nervously), and spoke softly to them. They were, in the end, very unconcerned about my presence.Oh gosh, the title of this thread made me laugh, but it shouldn't have. It must have been really scary. Made me think of a place on the Norte that my husband and I walked through. The camino path went right through a herd of cows with no fencing. There were quite a number of cows including some calves and even a bull. We were really really nervous walking through there. It was about half way between Naves and Ribadesella: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z66nv9EQdpDeXKFi7 I'll attach a couple of photos. (But, as you can see from the photos, the cows mostly ignored us.) Does anyone else remember this happening to them at that point?
I was on the Nascente last week and came across a field full of cows - possibly the same place. Blithely started walking through them (I’ve lived in the countryside all my life and am used to cattle) and then spotted the bull watching me walking among his girls. And pawing the ground and lowering its head. I took the 8km detour.On the Caminho Nascente in Portugal we saw several ‘Careful: Wild Cattle’ (or similar) signs. One such time we saw them ahead of us and had a long-distance staring contest until they moved away. That moment created one of my favourite photos from that camino of Wendy, the cows, the trail and the Alentejo countryside:
View attachment 166143
Better safe than sorry! That photo was taken shortly after Viana do Alentejo but we saw the ‘Gado Bravo’ warning signs several other times as well.I was on the Nascente last week and came across a field full of cows - possibly the same place. Blithely started walking through them (I’ve lived in the countryside all my life and am used to cattle) and then spotted the bull watching me walking among his girls. And pawing the ground and lowering its head. I took the 8km detour.
I know we’ve had this discussion many times before, but my understanding from Spanish pilgrims and friends (assuming it’s the same in Portugal, but maybe not) is that ganado bravo are the ones raised for bull-fighting and are kept by law securely corralled and inaccessible to walkers. The post that put my mind to rest was years ago when someone noted that the value of these toros bravos is so high that no owner would leave them out running around anyway. I have passed several fincas where there were security cameras, sturdy metal gating, and lots of signs with warnings, but don’t think I’ve ever walked through a field with a sign saying I was entering a place with toros bravos.Better safe than sorry! That photo was taken shortly after Viana do Alentejo but we saw the ‘Gado Bravo’ warning signs several other times as well.
That would have been enough for me to lower my head and start pawing the ground.Perhaps he took offence at my Tilley hat
Yes, several times in the Alentejo, and the signs were always followed by a herd of cows unfenced shortly after, who seemed (to our untrained eyes) to be behaving strangely, more anxious/aggressive and less docile than usual.Did you walk through places that announced “gado bravo”, Nick?
Wendy just asked Chat GPT (for whatever that's worth!) who said in Portugal it can refer to animals raised for bullfighting, but not necessarily only those:And do you know if it means the same thing in Portugal as in Spain?
A expressão "gado bravo" é frequentemente associada à tauromaquia devido ao uso desses animais em corridas de touros. No entanto, também pode ser utilizada em contextos relacionados com as indústrias de carne ou leite, especialmente quando se refere a animais de criação que são mais agressivos ou difíceis de manejar. Em algumas regiões, certas raças de gado são selecionadas especificamente por suas características de bravura ou resistência, o que pode torná-las mais adequadas para determinados fins, como a produção de carne ou leite em ambientes mais hostis.
The expression "gado bravo" is often associated with bullfighting due to the use of these animals in bullfights. However, it can also be used in contexts related to the meat or dairy industries, especially when referring to livestock that are more aggressive or difficult to handle. In some regions, certain breeds of cattle are specifically selected for their bravery or resilience characteristics, which can make them more suitable for certain purposes, such as meat or milk production in more hostile environments.
Bradypus in post#21 rightly included pigs.Dogs on the Camino .... and now cows.
Well I say it's all about moo-tual respect.
And that’s no bull…Well I say it's all about moo-tual respect.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?