Tourists have been warned to keep their distance from these iconic British beasts

With their shaggy auburn coats and tousled fringes, there’s no denying that Highland Cows are seriously cute creatures. But they start to look a lot less cute when they’re charging towards you, horns at the ready.

Videos have surfaced on TikTok and Instagram showing tourists striding up to the cattle to take selfies, with some people even filming themselves hugging the furry heifers. Now, a number of UK parks and farms which are home to the massive animals have had to issue warnings not to get too close. 

Yorkshire’s Peak District National Park Authority issued a statement saying hugging cows was ‘highly dangerous’, and anyone who tried to do so would risk being trampled, charged or attacked, especially when cows have calves.

Queen Elizabeth Country Park, which looks after a herd at Butser Hill in Hampshire, also had to remind people earlier this year ‘not touch or approach’ them.

Swanston Farm, near Edinburgh, is known as one of the best places to commune with the cows. But a statement on its website urges visitors to keep their distance. 

‘We prioritise their welfare, ensuring they live a peaceful existence without unnecessary human intervention or specialised feed,’ it reads, warning that they ‘do not like human contact’.

‘We ask that visitors to help preserve the wild nature of our Highland Cows, do not approach them and to please respect their personal space.’

People are getting hurt as a result of ignoring these cautions. According to EdinburghLive, an article published by Cattle Safety describes the moment a walker was ‘thrown up into the air’ by a Highland Cow and had to ‘fend off’ a second one. Enough said – we’ll be moo-ving back from now on.

Did you see that a stunning new £3 million coastal spa break destination has opened in Scotland?

Plus: more wild cows are now roaming south London – here’s where you can see them.