You have the right to access some land for walking or certain other leisure activities. You can: use public roads and pavements or public rights of way , for example footpaths or bridleways use your right to roam on open access land including mountains, moors, heaths, downs, common land and some land around the King Charles III England Coast Path If neither of these apply, you may still be able to access private land if: the land was used as a public right of way in the past - check old maps and documents the land was accessed by the public for at least 20 years and nobody has asked them to stop the landowner has given permission (‘permissive access’) Help protect the natural environment by following the Countryside Code .

Use public rights of way

You can walk on all public rights of way. Some public rights of way are also open to horse riders, cyclists or motorists. You can use: footpaths - for walking, running, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs bridleways - for walking, horse riding, bicycles, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs restricted byways - for any transport without a motor and mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs byways open to all traffic - for any kind of transport, including cars (but they’re mainly used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders) Rights of way in England, Wales and Northern Ireland Public rights of way are marked with signs or coloured arrows, for example yellow for footpaths, blue for bridleways. You can find the route of public rights of way: on Ordnance Survey and other maps on some council websites Rights of way in Scotland You can find rights of way through the charity Scotways . Report problems with a right of way Contact the local council to report a problem, for example obstructions, poor maintenance or a misleading sign. Change a public right of way Contact the local council about adding, changing or removing a public right of way temporarily or permanently. You can contact the Local Government Ombudsman if you think your council has not dealt with your enquiry properly.

Use your right to roam

You can access some land across England without having to use paths - this land is known as ‘open access land’ or ‘access land’. Access land includes mountains, moors, heaths and downs that are privately owned. It also includes common land registered with the local council and some land around the King Charles III England Coast Path . Your right to access this land is called the ‘right to roam’, or ‘freedom to roam’. What you can and cannot do You can use access land for walking, running, watching wildlife and climbing. There are certain activities you cannot usually do on open access land, including: horse-riding cycling camping taking animals other than dogs on to the land driving a vehicle (except mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs) water sports But you can use access land for horse-riding and cycling if: the landowner allows it public bridleways or byways cross the land – horse riders and cyclists can ride along these there are local traditions, or rights, of access Dogs on open access land You must keep your dog on a lead no more than 2 metres long on open access land: between 1 March and 31 July - to protect ground-nesting birds at all times around livestock On land next to the King Charles III England Coast Path, you must keep your dog under close control. There may be other local or seasonal restrictions. These do not apply to public rights of way or assistance dogs. Excepted land On access land some areas remain private (‘excepted land’). You do not have the right to access these areas, even if they appear on a map of open access land. Excepted land includes: houses, buildings and the land they’re on (such as courtyards) land used to grow crops building sites and land that’s being developed parks and gardens golf courses and racecourses railways and tramways working quarries Use public rights of way to cross excepted land. Find open-access land Search for open access land in England and find out about land that’s currently closed to walkers. Find open access land in Wales . Contact the local council to find common land near you. Report problems with open access land You can report problems to the local access authority - contact them through the local council . If the problem is in a national park, you can contact them directly . You can also contact the Open Access Contact Centre for information about open access land in England. Open Access Contact Centre open.access@naturalengland.org.uk Telephone: 0300 060 2091 Find out about call charges

You may be able to access private land if the landowner has agreed to let people use it, for example for walking, cycling or horse riding (sometimes known as giving ‘permissive access’). Look for signs. Search for land of outstanding scenic or scientific interest , including land with permissive access, in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) directory.

Rights of way and accessing land

Overview

You have the right to access some land for walking or certain other leisure activities.

You can:

use public roads and pavements or public rights of way, for example footpaths or bridleways
use your right to roam on open access land including mountains, moors, heaths, downs, common land and some land around the King Charles III England Coast Path

If neither of these apply, you may still be able to access private land if:

the land was used as a public right of way in the past - check old maps and documents
the land was accessed by the public for at least 20 years and nobody has asked them to stop
the landowner has given permission (‘permissive access’)

Help protect the natural environment by following the Countryside Code.

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Rights of way and accessing land

Overview

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Rights of way and accessing land

Overview

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