Am I a cf for asking a farmer this question?

It's irrelevant regarding the lead - farmers simply don't want people routinely walking their dogs on their working land. Please do not embarrass yourself by asking.

You need to keep to public areas. You can ask, but expect a firm No, for all the reasons listed above. It’s his/her workplace.

I’m a farmer and I’d definitely say no. I don’t even walk my own dogs in all my fields at all times - it depends what’s in them. By walking your dogs, you would be leaving a trampled path around the route that you normally use. Also dog poo can carry parasites that are dangerous to stock not to mention the risk of dogs worrying stock. If I let one person, I’d end up being asked by others and then everyone would think they could walk there. To be honest, I’d think you were pretty cheeky for asking. You may find the country lanes aren’t as bad to walk along as you think. The lanes round us as exactly as you describe but there aren’t many cars and you can hear them coming. It might not be as bad as you think. Alternatively you can restrict your house search to places with an accessible footpath nearby - if you look at the OS map there are more around than you might think.

You mean there was no livestock in it when you went to look round a few times?

some of my fields don't have livestock in them at the moment, for a number of reasons:

1. that they were in there a few weeks ago and that field is now having a few weeks rest before we put weaned lambs onto it.
2. its been included in our SFI herbal lay claim and we have just scratched £££ of herbal grass seeds in and need to let them get established before putting stock back in
3. it's been a very wet summer and we would usually have cows in there through summer but it has a tendency to get a bit boggy in prolonged wet weather so we've kept them out and will soon be putting tups in there to put some condition on before tupping time in the autumn
4. Weve just sprayed the dockings /thistles in it
5. its a field of stubble turnips that will be eaten by sheep in winter/early spring

if it's got no existing footpath in it the farmer will most likely say no. It's not a public park it's a private working environment (as are fields with public footpaths in - farmers fields are not dog parks!) , it's like asking if your kids can go and play in a working quarry because climbing on the rocks looks fun and you can't be bothered to walk to the park instead.

What have you got to lose? If you won't buy it unless you can walk through the field then ask him/her. Don't argue if they say no

Why is it better to inconvenience him rather than inconvenience you by getting in car?

Are you sure you're suited to rural living?

Massive CF question. Buy a house that suits your needs, this one isn’t it.

We live rurally in Wales and are surrounded by farmland. The farmers where we are would definitely not like anyone on their land. Even if there is a proper public footpath or right of way through them they hate people using them. And even worse if you have a dog. Some have had some nasty experiences with dogs and their livestock so now they see someone walking a dog near or through their land and you get 'the evils'. Personally I wouldn't even ask.
However we walk our dogs down some lovely single track country lanes with no problems at all. You just listen out for traffic and be sensible and be prepared to move out of the way and onto the verge if something is coming.

Please don't do this, it sounds incredibly entitled.
Even if he/she doesn't have/appear to have crops/animals in there now they well use it in the future/have plans, never mind not wanting random folk in there.

I would expect a no, because it is exactly this kind of thing which establishes a right of way, and becomes a headache down the line for farmers. If you’re not willing to deal with the road, don’t move there.

Even if it's a "yes" from the farmer now, it might not be a "yes" in a year's time.

If buying the house is dependent on being able to walk out with the dogs and not need to get into your car, then don't buy this house.

Id check to see if the field is up for development, which is far more important than walking dogs.

Farmers I know would say no on the basis that you'd be establishing a right of way by using it regularly, which could in time lead to others insisting on their right to use it too.

The thing is, it sets a precedent if he allows you to do it, others may start asking.

The farmers who farm the land that surround our house are lovely. I look out for their livestock or anything dodgy going on and let them know.
Conversely, the farmer across the lane is notoriously grumpy and even berates people walking as established footpath.

I would maybe ask around and see how approachable the farmer is.

We lived by a farm, and the farmer really didn't like people in his fields, the dogs would trample young crops, other people would see the walkers and presume it was ok to enter etc. When we got the dog the first thing he did, not knowing us, was ask that we keep her out of her fields.

We got to know him over the years and he was a lovely man. He let us use the fields over lockdown, but on the proviso we kept the dog on the lead and shooed anyone else away.

He doesn't know you. He doesn't know if you'll be responsible. So the likelihood is, he'll say no. Either find somewhere else to walk or don't buy this house.

This. We have ponies and turned down lots of places that didn't have access to safe hacking. It was the whole point of the move, so was non-negotiable. The farmer is more thank likely to say no to your request if there is no right of way as it opens him up to a lot of hassle and sets a precedent.

Well you can't buy a house completely conditional on this answer. He might not be there forever, he might change his mind.

I live rurally on a single track road and we walk it fine, we just pull ourselves into the hedge if needed!!! The fields around us you could walk a dog in over the winter but not once the cows are put back out in spring. You never know what fields will be used for. Also it will go down much better to ask if you move in.

Even if the farmer said yes, which could be a real pain for him having to check for you and the dog, the farmer could sell up or change his mind a few months in. If you're not happy with the land you own and can access publicly then do not go for the house.

@Whye

i know what you mean about not wanting to
losd them in the car for a walk, it's bloody annoying.

i don't think it's too cheeky to ask, but if you wouldn't buy the house if he says no, I wouldn't take the risk. He may lease the fields out in. Years time, which may mean you had to stop using them, then you're stuck.

id do as others suggested & look for existing public footpaths (muddy walk ways!) but if there aren't any & you don't think you could cope with the road then I eouldnt buy the house.

I would find that quite rude given you’ve not even moved in! I live on a country lane and walk my dogs on it and no issues

If i was the farmer I’d be concerned you were going to try and establish some sort of right, over time, which would obviously devalue his land