Access & Care for the Countryside
In February 2005 the Scottish Outdoor Access Code came into operation and as a result everyone is now able to enjoy a statutory right of responsible access for walking, cycling, canoeing, horse riding, wild camping and mountain biking. This potentially gives Scotland the best framework for outdoor access in Europe. A new Scottish Outdoor Access Code tells you about your access rights and responsibilities under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Know the Code - Enjoy Scotland's outdoors responsibly!
Land Access in Scotland
Everyone has the right to be on most land and water in Scotland. These access rights and responsibilities are explained in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. The key things to remember are:
When you're in the outdoors:
- take personal responsibility for your own actions and act safely
- respect people's privacy and peace of mind
- help land managers and others to work safely and effectively
- care for your environment, take your litter home and don't disturb wildlife
- keep your dog under proper control
- take extra care if you?re organising an event or running a business
If you're managing the outdoors:
- respect access rights
- act reasonably when asking people to avoid land management operations
- work with your local authority and others also
- help integrate access and land management
- respect rights of way and customary access
When cycling in Scotland make sure that you:
- Keep to hard tracks/paths and don?t shortcut corners
- Walk over soft ground to avoid cutting it
- Avoid fierce braking and skids on downhill riding to minimise damage to path surfaces
- Do not take bikes onto mountain tops and plateaux where the vegetation is easily damaged
- Leave the countryside as you find it. In particular take all litter home.
To find out more about the Scottish Access Code visit www.outdooraccess-scotland.com
