The Countryside Code
The Countryside Code gives advice on how to enjoy your visit to the countryside while at the same time helping to protect it. Find out about planning ahead, staying safe, controlling your dog near livestock and preventing fires.

There are five sections of The Countryside Code dedicated to helping members of the public respect, protect and enjoy the countryside.
Code for the Public
(1) Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs
Even when going out locally, it is best to get the latest information about where and when you can go. For example, your rights to go onto some areas of open land may be restricted while work is carried out, for safety reasons, or during breeding seasons. Follow advice and local signs, and be prepared for the unexpected.
Refer to up-to-date maps or guidebooks, visit the maps page on this website or contact local information centres.
You are responsible for your own safety and for others in your care, so be prepared for changes in weather and other events.
Check weather conditions before you leave, and don't be afraid to turn back.
Part of the appeal of the countryside is that you can get away from it all. You may not see anyone for hours, and there are many places without clear mobile phone signals, so let someone know where you're going and when you expect to return.
Get to know the signs and symbols used in the countryside. Download and print out our Finding Your Way Advice Sheet to take with you. It shows all the up to date signs and symbols.

(2) Leave gates and property as you find them
Please respect the working life of the countryside, as our actions can affect people’s livelihoods, our heritage, and the safety and welfare of animals and ourselves.
A farmer will normally leave a gate closed to keep livestock in, but may sometimes leave it open so they can reach food and water. Leave gates as you find them or follow instructions on signs. If walking in a group, make sure the last person knows how to leave the gates.
If you think a sign is illegal or misleading such as a ‘Private - No Entry’ sign on a public footpath, contact the local authority.
In fields where crops are growing, follow the paths wherever possible.
Use gates, stiles or gaps in field boundaries when provided - climbing over walls, hedges and fences can damage them and increase the risk of farm animals escaping.
Our heritage belongs to all of us - be careful not to disturb ruins and historic sites.
Leave machinery and livestock alone - do not interfere with animals even if you think they are in distress. Try to alert the farmer instead.

(3) Protect plants and animals and take your litter home
We have a responsibility to protect our countryside now and for future generations, so make sure you don't harm animals, birds, plants or trees.
Litter and leftover food doesn’t just spoil the beauty of the countryside, it can be dangerous to wildlife and farm animals and can spread disease - so take your litter home with you. Dropping litter and dumping rubbish are criminal offences.
Discover the beauty of the natural environment and take special care not to damage, destroy or remove features such as rocks, plants and trees. They provide homes and food for wildlife, and add to everybody’s enjoyment of the countryside.
Wild animals and farm animals can behave unpredictably if you get too close, especially if they’re with their young - so give them plenty of space.
Fires can be as devastating to wildlife and habitats as they are to people and property - so be careful not to drop a match or smouldering cigarette at any time of the year. Sometimes, controlled fires are used to manage vegetation, particularly on heaths and moors between October and early April, so please check that a fire is not supervised before calling 999.

(4) Keep dogs under close control
The countryside is a great place to exercise dogs, but it?s every owner’s duty to make sure their dog is not a danger or nuisance to farm animals, wildlife or other people.
By law, you must control your dog so that it does not disturb or scare farm animals or wildlife. On most areas of open country and common land, known as ‘access land’ you must keep your dog on a short lead on most areas of open country and common land between 1 March and 31 July, and all year round near farm animals.
You do not have to put your dog on a lead on public paths, as long as it is under close control. But as a general rule, keep your dog on a lead if you cannot rely on its obedience. By law, farmers are entitled to destroy a dog that injures or worries their animals.
If a farm animal chases you and your dog, it is safer to let your dog off the lead ? don?t risk getting hurt by trying to protect it.
Take particular care that your dog doesn’t scare sheep and lambs or wander where it might disturb birds that nest on the ground and other wildlife ? eggs and young will soon die without protection from their parents.
Everyone knows how unpleasant dog mess is and it can cause infections ? so always clean up after your dog and get rid of the mess responsibly. Also make sure your dog is wormed regularly to protect it, other animals and people.

(5) Consider other people
Showing consideration and respect for other people makes the countryside a pleasant environment for everyone - at home, at work and at leisure.
Busy traffic on small country roads can be unpleasant and dangerous to local people, visitors and wildlife - so slow down and, where possible, leave your vehicle at home, consider sharing lifts and use alternatives such as public transport or cycling.
Respect the needs of local people - for example, don’t block gateways, driveways or other entry points with your vehicle.
Keep out of the way when farm animals are being gathered or moved and follow directions from the farmer.
When riding a bike or driving a vehicle, slow down for horses, walkers and livestock and give them plenty of room. By law, cyclists must give way to walkers and horse-riders on bridleways.
Support the rural economy - for example, buy your supplies from local shops.

There are three sections of the Countryside Code dedicated to land managers.
(1) Know Your Rights, Responsibilities And Liabilities
People visiting the countryside provide important income for the local economy. Most like to follow a visible route, prefer using proper access points like gates, and generally want to do the right thing - but they need your help.
Visitors are allowed to access land in different ways. For more guidance on how this affects you and what your rights, responsibilities and liabilities are, contact your local authority or National Park authority, and the Open Access website .
The Ordnance Survey's 1:25,000 maps show public rights of way and designated areas of open land. These maps are generally reliable but not ‘definitive’ so you will need to check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority.
By law, you must keep rights of way clear and not obstruct people’s entry onto access land - it’s a criminal offence to discourage rights of public access with misleading signs.
Trespassing is often unintentional.
Contact your local authority or National Park authority, and look on the Managing public access section of the Open Access website . You can check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority.

(2) Make It Easy For Visitors To Act Responsibly
Most people who visit the countryside are keen to act responsibly, and trespassing is often unintentional
There are a number of ways you can help them to be responsible. These include:
Keep paths, boundaries, waymarks, signs, gates and stiles in good order. To find out what help is available, contact your local authority or National Park Authority.
Where public access leads through a boundary feature, such as a fence or hedge, create a gap if you can ? or use an accessible gate or, if absolutely necessary, a stile. When installing new gates and stiles, make sure you have the permission of the local authority.
Give clear, polite guidance where it's needed ? for example, tell visitors about your land management operations.
Rubbish attracts other rubbish - by getting rid of items such as farm waste properly, you'll discourage fly tipping (dumping rubbish illegally) and encourage others to get rid of their rubbish responsibly.

(3) Identify Possible Threats To Visitor’s Safety
People come to the countryside simply to enjoy themselves safely. As land managers, it is up to us to help them to do so. In fact we have a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984 to make sure that they can pass through our land safely.
Here are some useful tips to help them to go home in one piece.
Draw the public?s attention to potential man-made and natural hazards on your land.
Avoid using electric fencing, barbed wire and other hazards close to areas that people visit, particularly alongside narrow paths and at the height of a child.
Don’t let animals that are likely to attack visitors roam freely where the public has access ? you may be liable for any resulting harm.
Your duty of care (under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984) depends on the type of access right ? so it?s important to know what rights, if any, apply to your land.