Before opening a gate into a field of cattle, stop and look. Where is the next gate? Are animals standing across the path? Are there calves? It is easier to work out your options while you are still on the other side of the fence.
The advice here follows the Countryside Code for England and Wales and the National Farmers' Union. There are links to the Scottish and Northern Irish codes below.
Choosing a way through
Give the herd plenty of room and avoid coming between cows and calves. If the farmer has provided an alternative route, use it. These are among the points in the NFU's guidance for walkers with dogs.
Look for an exit as well as a gap among the animals. A clear path leading to a gate crowded with cattle may leave you with a problem at the far side of the field. If you cannot see a safe way through, check for another permitted route or turn back. Keep the gate shut while you decide.
Where you can safely give animals a wide berth, do so and rejoin the path beyond them. Do not approach cattle for photographs or let children go over to touch them.
If cattle come towards you or follow, move calmly and quietly away towards safety. The NFU advises against running. Watch what the animals are doing, even if they seemed relaxed when you entered the field.
The important exception for dogs
Around livestock, keep the dog on a short lead. That includes walking beside a field where it might get through a fence. A dog does not have to be aggressive to disturb farm animals.
If you feel threatened by cattle, let your dog off the lead so you can both get to safety separately. Do not put yourself in danger trying to protect the dog. The Countryside Code gives this advice specifically for that situation.
Check local dog restrictions before setting out. For an organised walk, ask about livestock as well as whether dogs are welcome. An organiser's permission to bring a dog gives you no information about what is in the fields that day.
Was the gate open when you arrived?
Leave it as you found it, unless a sign tells you otherwise. An open gate may be allowing animals to reach water or feed. Closing every gate automatically can cause a problem just as leaving a closed one open can.
With a group, pass the information back. The last walker may not have seen what the gate looked like when the first person arrived. A quick “this one was closed” is enough to settle it.
Use the gate or stile provided and keep the entrance clear while people get through. Give anyone handling a dog time and space; crowding round the latch rarely helps.
Before taking a dog on an unfamiliar route, check the stiles and other obstacles too. The route's distance alone will not tell you whether the dog can manage it.
Carry waste bags and take filled ones home if there is no bin. Leaving a bag beside a path for later creates a problem for everyone else using it. Take your own litter away as well.
If you report an incident or concern, include the date and a clear location, then describe what happened. The land manager needs something they can investigate. In route notes, a dated account is also more useful to the next walker than a general warning about the entire area.
For walks elsewhere, use the Scottish Outdoor Access Code or Northern Ireland's Countryside Code. There is more on planning in choosing a walk and joining your first group walk.