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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU in thinking my land is my garden so p off

114 replies

creaseistheword · 27/03/2011 17:42

We live on some land. Caught some people taking a short cut through to the next set of field which back onto their house. They has to go through 2 sets of closed gates to do it. Why do people think that just because its a set of fields, its not someone's garden/private property. We are now putting a huge sign up (hope that helps). AIBU in thinking people whould respect our property?

OP posts:
creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 11:59

There is no bridle path or footpath beamur, the gate is our own

OP posts:
ProfYaffle · 30/03/2011 11:59

Where I live there's a few fields with footpaths that are popular dog walking areas and we have similar problems. The council has installed dog poo bins, although that doesn't seem to stop people bagging the poo and flinging it in hedge

Beamur · 30/03/2011 11:59

Viva - the legislation about dog mess on private land is not always helpful, however, there are now 'Dog Control Orders' which can give extra powers to Councils to issue fines for dog fouling, which I think can apply to private land too - depends on if your Council has applied for one of these and what limits it has imposed.
Check with your Rights of Way Section or Dog Wardens.
Signs can be put up asking to keep dogs on leads but they are not enforceable as the law says dogs needs to be under 'close control' - which does not specify on leads, there is a new version of the Countryside Code currently being looked at which gives a bit more explicit advice to dog owners - still not legally enforceable though.

Beamur · 30/03/2011 12:00

OP - I realise you are being trespassed on, my pedants corner was only about rights of way stuff.

Beamur · 30/03/2011 12:01

You're not obliged to put a dog gate in a stile.

creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 12:02

I know, and appreciate the advice/info beamur

OP posts:
Asteria · 30/03/2011 12:07

Crease - that is rubbish for you. I am a country girl and like nothing more than to wander about in fields, but I wouldn't dream of just hopping over a fence and randomly hiking across someones field unless there was a clearly marked footpath. HOW VERY RUDE! I think that you are well within your rights to get a sign or two up telling people to fuck off keep out... Failing that you should invest in some man traps, the really good ones can snap a leg like a bit of dry kindling [evil bitch emoticon]

I am doing a 180mile walk across Scotland in a few weeks time and despite the right to roam I have made contact with all the Estates and Farms that I will be crossing or camping on. There is no lawful need for me to do so and I will be on paths, but I still feel that it is only fair and courteous to let people know (plus if it really pisses it down with rain then I can smile sweetly and beg a barn or something for the night!). We have a farm in Scotland and I would be horrified if I stumbled across some ramblers setting up camp on one of our hills - but then I do have an irrational dislike for Ramblers...

grovel · 30/03/2011 13:00

Your dislike for ramblers is wholly rational. They are invariably smug little toads with horrible dress sense. And a sense of entitlement.

Asteria · 30/03/2011 13:06

Oh grovel - I think I am in actual love with you! I was just trying to be nice - they really are odious creatures aren't they! I have yet to meet a rambler whom I didn't take an immediate dislike to - sadly I am very bad a judging books by their covers and Ramblers ALWAYS have horrid covers!

Animation · 30/03/2011 13:16

I have no problem with ramblers at all. We all ramble. The ones that walk through my field seem Ok and friendly to me. I have sheep, and the dog owners seem to keep their dogs on leads.

If you're right with folk - they're right with you - is what I think.

creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 13:18

Our area doesnt have ramblers as it isnt actually a country area..its residential.

OP posts:
nijinsky · 30/03/2011 13:18

You can get very high wire fencing which no-one can climb over (with tightly strung mesh so that they can't go through either). My friend has some round his horse's field - they are showjumpers and one of them is prone to sailing over anything less than 5 feet). I'd say its about 7 feet in height. Does cost a bit but its not an absolute fortune, and you get gates made in a similar fashion.

Whereas if they went in with what I personally think is a rather noveau riche attitude towards owning land and barked at everyone they saw, they'd probably spend more time worrying about their horses, rather than the villagers looking out for them and enjoying their paths round the field. Theres a woman near me who has recently moved into a house with a few acres, and there is a public path running through it, but she invariably comes out shrieking and yelling that she is going to call the police. So obvious that she isn't used to owning land and is still in the "I'm so important now I've got land camp". Its only a few acres after all, not an ornamental walled Georgian garden with a full-time gardner tending it.

Also I know a lot of horse people who have post and wire fencing with a string of electric tape run as the top strand, again to keep the horses in but almost impossible to climb over or through. Looks very smart too.

Does your land look disused? You say you have 7 acres but its not clear if you do anything with it, and if it looks sort of disused, people will be more likely to use it as a shortcut.

It doesn't seem that you have a very big problem with people on your land, but something about this interloper disturbed you and he is perhaps distinct from somone taking a one-off shortcut or getting lost on a walk.

creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 15:23

Im not sure it looks disused. It was originally overgrown and we restored it to its lovely but cleared woods-like state. We have recently lost loads of trees in a storm though. The back part may look like an oasis, although used. The part where the people passed looks used - there is a stable, tractor shed, 3 large vege patches and fruit trees. Chancers I reckon. Like I said, we have locked away all the equipment now and Im not too keen on letting the smalls out alone.

animation I would love sheep :)

OP posts:
whatsallthehullaballoo · 30/03/2011 16:27

Get some motion sensor sprinklers in place - soak the bastards!

YABU only because there are not signs up already. Once the signs are up I would like to think that it would not happen again.
Goodluck

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