Right to Roam

[woodnicer]

95

 

Right to roam:

small woodland owners: advice

After placing a couple of signs on the boundary of my woodland stating “private woodland no access without permission” I have been informed by a neighbour that people have the “right to roam” over my property and that my signs could well be illegal!

I have had tools, stolen from the woodland and have a feeling that someone is helping themselves to some of my firewood every now and again

I use an electric wheelchair permanently and have spent much time and energy and money trying to keep the tracks through my woodland accessible. However, the amount of dog excrement left by dog walkers is preventing me from travelling across my land because I’m forever wheeling through this and having to ask people to clean my tyres.

Also, while people are freely roaming over my property over the winter and wet periods generally, they are leaving deep footprints in the clay. When the clay hardens like rock it feels like trying to travel over cobbles, which sets off uncontrollable muscle spasm and increases the likelihood of pressure sores on my buttocks. It’s got to the point now where there are places on my own land where I can’t freely roam!

This feels unfair and would like to know firstly whether it is true that people do have a right to roam and whether there is anything I could do to prevent this.

Would I be allowed to erect a fence around my property?

 

 

 

 

 

[Stubby]

22 minutes ago, woodnicer said:

95

 

Right to roam:

small woodland owners: advice

After placing a couple of signs on the boundary of my woodland stating “private woodland no access without permission” I have been informed by a neighbour that people have the “right to roam” over my property and that my signs could well be illegal!

I have had tools, stolen from the woodland and have a feeling that someone is helping themselves to some of my firewood every now and again

I use an electric wheelchair permanently and have spent much time and energy and money trying to keep the tracks through my woodland accessible. However, the amount of dog excrement left by dog walkers is preventing me from travelling across my land because I’m forever wheeling through this and having to ask people to clean my tyres.

Also, while people are freely roaming over my property over the winter and wet periods generally, they are leaving deep footprints in the clay. When the clay hardens like rock it feels like trying to travel over cobbles, which sets off uncontrollable muscle spasm and increases the likelihood of pressure sores on my buttocks. It’s got to the point now where there are places on my own land where I can’t freely roam!

This feels unfair and would like to know firstly whether it is true that people do have a right to roam and whether there is anything I could do to prevent this.

Would I be allowed to erect a fence around my property?

 

 

 

 

 

I would check the deeds . See if there is anything in there . You have my sympathy . Its a pain in the arse  , literally .

[Big J]

If you're not in Scotland then it is highly unlikely that they have the right to roam.

[openspaceman]

27 minutes ago, woodnicer said:

95

 

Right to roam:

small woodland owners: advice

After placing a couple of signs on the boundary of my woodland stating “private woodland no access without permission” I have been informed by a neighbour that people have the “right to roam” over my property and that my signs could well be illegal!

They may be if there is indeed a right to roam, let me have details and I can check or go to the MAGIC.gov.uk site find your woodland and then  open the access drop down  menu. Then tick the registered common, countryside and rights of way act section 15 and  countryside and rights of way open access layer boxes. If it does not come up on that (and most woodland was not included in CROW) it's unlikely there are any general rights over and above public rights of way.

 

I get a bit annoyed by "private" signs as people up to no good ignore them and other walkers are generally good about not trespassing, they become another eyesore just like many inappropriate signs.

 

There is a move by the current government to criminalise trespass which will lead to loss of public rights over time. We are already seeing common land that should have been registered by landowners being lost, and often built on, because the landowners have strong support from the current government, which I think is a shame.

Quote

Would I be allowed to erect a fence around my property?

Yes if it not common land or section 15 land again it would be a shame as openness is often a big amenity aesthetically.

 

The major point to me is public rights were won over time in the face of landowners wish to exclude people unreasonably often to no great advantage to themselves but from sheer arrogance about there place in society.

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by openspaceman
spelling and addition

[daltontrees]

No-one can answer the question unless you say what country you are in.

[MattyF]

Yes if it not common land or section 15 land again it would be a shame as openness is often a big amenity aesthetically.
 
The major point to me is public rights were won over time in the face of landowners wish to exclude people unreasonably often to no great advantage to themselves but from sheer arrogance about there place in society.
 

Wow .... I wonder if you would feel the same if we all come traipsing through your property taking what we wanted, dumping rubbish , scaring your pregnant or with young livestock... I may have slightly agreed with you but in the last 6 months with the great British public venturing out illegal camping , poaching , endangering livestock , vandalising woods and trees and pretty much any other I can do what I want behaviours there should be stricter anti trespassing laws.. I’ve seen people poaching , dumping rubbish, shooting crossbows , dogs chasing wildlife and livestock and that was only in the last two days...

[Paddy1000111]

As others have said it's impossible to say without saying where you are. Check for any rights of way on your deeds etc and follow the guidance that openspaceman gave you. Apart from that there is no "right to roam" private land is private land. I advocate the use of signs and fences. People are a pain and land boundaries seem to drift if you dont rule with an iron fist

[MattyF]

I genuinely think there should be an easy quick exam for the country code done online , if you don’t have it and venture out in to the national parks etc you get fined as it seems plenty of people don’t know how to conduct themselves in the countryside.

[roys]

I live in Scotland, have a small woods and people have the right to roam through it, however they only have the right to roam if they cause no damage, leave no rubbish, and take nowt except photos, if they don’t obey these rules then have have no right to roam.

I have signs up saying Private Land, Forestry Operations in Progress, Enter at your own risk.

I do have kids coming into the woods, they used to have fires and leave a ton of rubbish, caught them once and bollocked sorry educated them, told them basically that I don’t mind them coming into the woods and having a small controlled fire, but don’t cut down green trees unless it’s rhoddy and take your crap away. On the whole it has worked. I can see where they have had their fire but most of their rubbish is removed.

[Bob_z_l]

56 minutes ago, MattyF said:

I genuinely think there should be an easy quick exam for the country code done online , if you don’t have it and venture out in to the national parks etc you get fined as it seems plenty of people don’t know how to conduct themselves in the countryside.

Great idea...un-enforceable.

 

Amongst many things around here in the "countryside". The area is seen as an unpopulated play area and anything goes. 
As seen by the many cyclists (oh, not again...sorry) behaving like loons on-road and off. Leaving gel sachets and discarded inner tubes everywhere. Don't even start me on urinating and defecating in hedgerows.

 

Walkers having impromptu picnics leaving more trace...

 

Police aren't able to enforce these violations let alone stop and check countryside competency.

 

Sorry...  Rant Over. I'll go back to my cave.