A livestock farmer in Derbyshire has issued a warning that runners are risking serious injury by trespassing on her private land. Nicola Naylor, who farms at Blackshaw Farm near Glossop, said she has observed persistent offenders jogging through areas where cows are calving, making them territorial.
Ms Naylor stated that she and her husband, David, have been assaulted and had car keys stolen when confronting trespassers. She also noted that the area was subject to a public nuisance order three years ago.
While her farm is surrounded by open access land and public footpaths, Ms Naylor reported seeing runners "taking shortcuts" through clearly gated and fenced-off private areas. She believes many trespassers are using running apps to set or follow routes, with some routes through her farm appearing on apps like Strava despite not being public footpaths.
Strava, a popular running app, stated it "cannot independently verify land ownership or property boundaries" and expects users to "obey all laws and rules." The company encourages property owners to work with local law enforcement regarding unauthorised access.
Ms Naylor highlighted the dangers posed by her hundreds of cows, noting that 26 people in Great Britain were killed by animals in incidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive between 2020 and 2025. The HSE indicated that a significant number of these incidents likely involved cattle.