An experienced hillwalker has described her 'miracle' survival after being brutally attacked and trampled by a herd of cattle in the Scottish Highlands, an ordeal that left her with ten broken ribs and fearing for her life.
A Routine Hike Turns Into a Fight for Survival
Mary-Jane Parker, a 61-year-old from Peebles, set out in late August with her dog Lola to ascend three Munros in the Monadhliath range. Her plans for a challenging day's walk were shattered within minutes when she was ambushed by aggressive cattle at Glen Banchor, near Newtonmore in Inverness-shire.
Normally very cautious around livestock on open ground, Ms Parker found herself suddenly confronted after rounding a bank of high ground. Without any warning, the herd closed in. "One of them put its head down and started thumping the ground. I was terrified. I couldn't escape," she recounted. Her dog bolted in panic as the cows attacked.
Crushed and Dragged in Minutes of Terror
The attack was swift and violent. "I was crushed between two of the cows, swept off my feet and carried between them as they charged off along the track," Ms Parker said. She could feel her body being crushed but was powerless to stop it or get her feet on the ground.
She was thrown down, but the nightmare continued. The strap of her rucksack became wrapped around a cow's leg, dragging her along the ground before she was tossed into the air and crashed back down. The sustained assault lasted only a few minutes but resulted in catastrophic injuries: ten broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken right hand, bruised lungs, a serious leg wound, and multiple bruises to her head, face, and body.
Playing Dead and the Race to Rescue
With the cattle still looming threateningly, including a bull, and her phone lying out of reach, Ms Parker made a desperate decision to survive. "I decided to play dead – keep as still as I could and hope they moved away without hurting me further," she explained. For almost an hour, she lay in agony, feeling the breath of one cow in her hair as it ate grass by her head, while another licked blood from her wound.
Managing to activate the SOS alert on a tracking device in her rucksack, she focused on staying conscious. "Keep holding on, don't go to sleep, don't lose consciousness. Keep breathing, I said over and over to myself. Help will come," she recalled.
Her alert brought fellow hillwalkers, who chased off the cattle, followed by police and paramedics. Recognising the severity of her injuries, they scrambled Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA). The air ambulance crew flew her to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she underwent several surgeries, including skin grafts, over ten days.
A Second Chance and a Christmas Gift
Now recovering at home, Ms Parker paid an emotional tribute to the charity that saved her. "It's a miracle I made it out alive," she stated. "I'm so grateful every day when I wake up and know I am still alive. What a gift it is. To be given that second chance."
She directly credited SCAA for her survival. "This charity is why I am here today. I'm able to be with my family this Christmas because of SCAA," she said, adding, "I thought I was done for out there on that track. SCAA turned that on its head and got me where I needed to be – in time – to keep fighting and survive. I owe them everything."
Her story serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by cattle in the British countryside, even to experienced outdoor enthusiasts.
