Wild West scenes as swimming cows turn Eryri into 'Wales' own Yellowstone'

Wild West scenes as swimming cows turn Eryri into “Wales’ own Yellowstone” describes cattle fording and swimming the Afon Mawddach in Gwynedd, between Barmouth and Penmaenpool. The crossing is typically attempted at low tide when sandbars appear, with shifting channels and fast tides otherwise considered too risky for most swimmers. Steve Burrows photographed the herd as they “lined up” and swam to the far bank, and he said every animal made it, including younger calves. The article notes cows’ buoyancy from their large barrel-shaped bodies and digestive gasses, and that they paddle rhythmically with four legs. It also links today’s behavior to older regional livestock drives, including historic Welsh Black herds that reportedly numbered about 14,000 cows per year across the Menai Strait.