A Borders woman says she considers herself lucky to be alive after a terrifying encounter with a herd of cows while hillwalking in the Scottish Highlands.
Mary-Jane Parker, 61, from Peebles, set out in August to climb three Munros near Newtonmore. Within minutes, she found herself caught in a life-threatening situation when a group of cattle, hidden behind a mound, charged at her. The experienced walker, who usually keeps a safe distance from livestock, was crushed, trampled, and dragged along the ground. Her small dog, Lola, panicked and ran off as the cows attacked.
“I was trapped between two cows, swept off my feet, and carried along the path,” Mary-Jane recounted. One of the cows even caught her rucksack strap, pulling her across the ground before tossing her into the air. She suffered severe injuries, including a large gash along her left calf, ten broken ribs, a broken sternum, a fractured right hand, bruised lungs, and head trauma.
Mary-Jane lay still for around 45 minutes, pretending to be dead, until her SOS alert from a Garmin tracking device was answered. Fellow hillwalkers chased the cattle away and stayed with her until police and paramedics arrived. Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) airlifted her to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she underwent surgery and skin grafts. Ten days later, she was able to return home to Peebles to continue her recovery.
“I am so grateful every day to be alive,” she said. “SCAA gave me a second chance. Thanks to them, I am here to be with my family this Christmas.”
NatureScot advises walkers to avoid cattle when possible, maintain a safe distance, keep dogs on short leads, and never get between cows and their calves. If cows act aggressively, the safest option is to leave calmly using the shortest route out.
