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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to use a public footpath to access a pricey tourist attraction?

140 replies

PennyHasNoSurname · 26/03/2016 16:09

Entry is only with an Annual Pass - they dont do single day access. There is a public footpath that leads into the attraction, not gated, however it isnt a short walk. Nice enough and our kids are happy to walk.

It is wrong? It feels wrong. Even though its technically allowed.

OP posts:
TwentyCupsOfTea · 26/03/2016 16:10

Is this cheddar gorge?

Original poster
PennyHasNoSurname · 26/03/2016 16:12

No, much further North than that. I have been to Cheddar Gorge though and never paid (never seen anywhere I needed to pay), but we jist mooched around the shops and cafes so maybe we missed a bit.

OP posts:
mudandmayhem01 · 26/03/2016 16:13

I take great pleasure at walking to lands end from sennen cove and enjoying the scenery without spending any cash at all.

PotteringAlong · 26/03/2016 16:14

Beamish? Yes it's wrong.

notagiraffe · 26/03/2016 16:15

Intriguing. I was going to ask if it was RHS Wisley. But they do day passes and are in the South.
I wouldn't feel guilty doing that at all, as long as it's genuinely a legitimate footpath that runs through the attraction.

TheSkiingGardener · 26/03/2016 16:15

Depends. Is it an attraction because they have spent money building it or is it a natural attraction?

TommyandGina · 26/03/2016 16:16

There's a public footpath giving you right of way. If you're all capable of walking it no problem then I don't see why not. I would.

MyKingdomForBrie · 26/03/2016 16:17

Can't see how it's wrong if it's a public footpath, difficult without knowing what it is but you couldn't use any rides/attractions or anything like that that a ticket would normally pay for, if it's just a place to look at I can't see what you could be doing wrong.

TwentyCupsOfTea · 26/03/2016 16:18

Ahh no to wander round the bottom is all free, but to walk the gorge there are two entrances on the same street, one a footpath tucked away, the other which leads to a watch tower - which requires a ticket! The other path also leads to the watch tower, just much longer Grin go for it, if it's natural beauty type attraction!

fredfredgeorgejnrsnr · 26/03/2016 16:18

But of course you only have access on the public footpath, you can't leave it - within that constraint, of course you should do it if you want.

TwentyCupsOfTea · 26/03/2016 16:19

(We didn't climb the tower I should point out, but we and many others were under the impression that to access the top of the gorge had to be paid for)

user12785 · 26/03/2016 16:20

Blenheim Palace has public footpaths going right through the grounds, people use them all the time. You can't get into the walled garden where the play parks, maze, butterfly house are though, as they ask for your ticket on the gate into that bit. They do this because they know loads of people haven't seen bought a ticket to to get into the grounds.

PotteringAlong · 26/03/2016 16:20

If it's beamish then there's a road that goes through part of it and you have to cross over to get to the farm from the rest of the museum. It only does annual passes (£18 for 12 months). However, you can see nothing from the road; to access the museum you make a conscious decision to come off the public right of way and enter the paying museum. You can access it through the non-gated path though.

BikeRunSki · 26/03/2016 16:24

If there is a public footpath, I'm not sure what the problem is.

Original poster
PennyHasNoSurname · 26/03/2016 16:26

I suppose the problem is coming off the footpath

OP posts:
Yellowbird54321 · 26/03/2016 16:31

There's always a catch OP Grin

PotteringAlong · 26/03/2016 16:31

Yes! That's exactly what the problem is! Just buy a ticket like everyone else!

Mysteryfla · 26/03/2016 16:35

If it is Beamush then £18 a year is hardly pricey is it. Pay it or stay on the path!

claraschu · 26/03/2016 16:36

I think it's great that everyone has access to places like Blenheim without paying. Actually this is one of the lovely things about England, and it should be appreciated and celebrated. Other countries don't have this attitude, but here there is some remaining belief that land belongs (just a little bit) to everyone. I am American, and this is one of the things I love about England.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 26/03/2016 16:36

Beamish do sell day tickets, just if your local and sign up you can use them for a year. It's priced at day trip prices, not annual prices IMO so if it's there YABU.

ToastDemon · 26/03/2016 16:39

I used to do this to visit an attraction on the Ayrshire coast. Parking was £12 which gave you access to the grounds. We would park at the free beach parking the next town along, walk along the beach and then up the footpath into the grounds of the attraction.
Fee was for parking so as we were prepared to park elsewhere and walk it seemed fair enough to me.

Original poster
PennyHasNoSurname · 26/03/2016 16:39

So the dayticket price is 18.50? And if you are local you can go more? It just makes a family day out nearly 50quid.

OP posts:
Mysteryfla · 26/03/2016 16:43

Great example for the kids by the way, Mummy doesn't want to pay like everyone else so we're going on this nice long walk and sneak in.

Phalenopsisgirl · 26/03/2016 16:46

If you are having to come off the path then that is trespassing so no that is not ok, it is illegal

tigerdriverII · 26/03/2016 16:46

Go for it. There are public footpaths through Blenheim. They are there to be used!

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