Should I accept random woman gawping through my bifolds?

[GleeFull]

I live rurally. It's dog walking, horse riding, rambler territory. My house is surrounded by a large field (privately owned, not by us) with very few neighbours. At the very far end of the field and nowhere near my house, is a bridle way which said dog walkers etc use. Nobody enters the main part of the field in general because it's private property, though you could if you wanted to as there's no fencing or gates to stop you. Mine and my neighbour's garden adjoin the field and we both have very large windows onto our gardens.

There's this random woman and her dog who have now taken to walking slowly around the perimeter of the field. Whilst she does this, she stares and has a right old nosey into my garden and directly into my house. I also have a dog who goes flipping mental at her and her dog essentially being at the other side of a livestock fence (waist high). Last week, I called my dog in as she was standing with her dog at the bottom of my garden (about 20feet from my bifold doors). She waved at me like I welcomed her being at the other side of my garden. Usually I'm the neighbour who waves and smiles and stops my car to chat, but I just wanted to say, 'This is like you're in my garden with me, f**k off!'

Any advice Mumsnet?

Just flip her the bird 😉20 feet is pretty far away so probably only feels intrusive because you're used to total privacy.

I'd probably be inclined to become a naturist, when the weather improved, that would soon scare her off!

Or as PP, just give her the finger, but then I am a bit of anti-sociable sod!

Is she still on the bridge path or on the field? If in the field, you could ask her to return to the bridge path.

So it’s a private field she’s walking in? You could ask her if she knows it’s private.

But also I agree with @GinForBreakfast in that one person looking from 20ft away is still amazing privacy! (But I’m saying that as someone who lives on a main road and has people glancing in constantly throughout the day.)

She would have a shock if she saw us naked, I'd agree with that. Yeah thinking about the summer, our sofa set up in the garden is literally at the other side of the fence, so I could touch her (if I wanted to lol!) when she walked by at slow mo speed, as she does. She's off the bridle way, it's across the field which would take you 5 - 10 minutes to walk across.

Stick some signs up that say the field is private maybe?

I have every sympathy about your dog going mental, but that part isn't her problem. As difficult as it is to train dogs to shut up when you tell them to, it apparently can be done.

Not that either of my dogs got that memo! 🙈😬

Yes and this is why we're spoilt I guess. We've had years of privacy until now, barring the odd tractor and some sheep in there. I really don't want to speak to her, though I would say something if I was enjoying my Pimms and she strolled passed. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate that level of intrusion in her garden.

Tell her to keep to the pathway as it's a private field she's in.
Nip it in the bud before she keeps on doing it.
Could you get a sign made up saying private property and please keep out and attach to the fence as that's what we have done

I would ask her if she was lost, and direct her to the right of way.

She possibly doesnt think she's doing anything wrong, near me there are fields like you describe and I've seen dog walkers going round the perimeter of ones that aren't marked as a public footpath.

Obviously staring into your house is rude but unless the land owner has forbidden her to walk there I don't think you can complain about the walking itself

I dont think you can put signs up on land you dont own, that would be a bit weird

@lovemycbf Actually maybe a sign by the bridleway trail is the way to go. I've no right to stop people using the field as it's not my field, we don't own it. And I suspect she doesn't have the permission of the owner, I know they are wary of damage to their land and fencing.

Actually yes that's true 🤣

OP, if you don't want to speak to her and you can't put signs up there's literally nothing you can do.

Except maybe learn to live with it? It's not like she's passing by every 20 minutes.

This!

Yeah you're right, it's probably once a day. Maybe I just need to practice my hands on hips 'confused at random woman gawping in my house' look. Funnily enough my neighbour, who has no stock fencing in their part of the field separating their garden from it, said she let her dog wander into their garden a few months ago. It feels like she's a bit clueless. I will try and suck it up for the few minutes of awkwardness maybe.

Air Horn?

That made my laugh! I think she's a bit shameless to be honest.

Bird scarer that you let off only when she is in the field.

But I’d ask the land owner to put signs up saying to stick to the path and that dogs can be shot if worrying stock.

We have a field at the back of ours (usually has sheep on) and a few people don’t stick to the path. There’s signs up about dogs off lead so next door goes out with a shotgun to ram the point home to repeat offenders. Not actually shot any dogs yet but the appearance helps!

She might not be from Britain. I’m a foreigner and had no idea about fields and walking rights when I moved here.

You could put up a “Private” sign at the end of your garden and you could get film on your window so she can’t see in your house or those chain things that hang down that stop flies getting in. Just sweep it to one side when she’s not there so you can still see your view.

You could plant some trees or a hedge to block that view from the field for more privacy.

She's not the landowner, is she?

Put the kettle on!
I'm on my way with my camera and a fairly large telephoto lens.
I will focus on her and track her as she walks by and hope she hears the clunky 'click' [or even the clicky 'clunk'] as the shutter release goes off 😁

motion activated sprinkler. That'll do it !

I have to disagree that 20ft is a long distance away! Its only 6m, and closer than the front of my house to to the footpath.

Do you know the landowner and can you ask A) whether they know the woman and B) ask them put signs up.

Put a sign on your own fence, which faces where she walks 'SMILE, we have CCTV monitoring the garden' 🙂

Throw some cactus or other spikey plants on the other side of the fence so its not as easy to walk past that section.

Take up topiary.