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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:
YesterdayOnceMore · 27/03/2016 09:06

The trouble is that public rights of way can be claimed because people use to walk on them 100 years ago and they show up on old maps as a path, which in all probability was just how the farmer used to get from one of his fields to another. It is almost impossible to close or re-route them so attractions have to put up with them.

So, whilst you are allowed to use the public footpath to cross an attraction, you are absolutely not allowed to leave the footpath and see the rest of the attraction as that is tresspass- the same as it would be if you left a footpath and walked into someone's garden.

Attractions cost a lot of money to maintain and run- far more than you think- and whilst £18 might seem pricey, the money is needed to keep the attraction running and maintained. Even "natural" sites - stone henge, cheddar gorge, giants causeway and much smaller ones than this need maintaining. The grass needs cutting, litter needs picking up, trees need caring for, pot holes need filling in, scrub needs clearing etc etc- this means employing staff which costs money and buying equiptment for them to use. These charity run places do not make a profit and the staff are either poorly paid or volunteers. This shows you that the entrance costs need to be the level that they are- the money is needed to maintain the attraction for everyone.

So please don't steal for charities by accessing the attractions for free.

TurnOffTheTv · 27/03/2016 09:12

And I'm assuming if you're going to walk that you're local, so surely you can use it for the rest of the year?

Mistigri · 27/03/2016 09:14

whilst you are allowed to use the public footpath to cross an attraction, you are absolutely not allowed to leave the footpath and see the rest of the attraction as that is tresspass- the same as it would be if you left a footpath and walked into someone's garden.

This is true, but trespass is not a criminal offence, and it is up to the owner to ask trespassers to leave the property (or return to the public right of way). It comes down to having a sensible system for paying parts of the site eg wristbands.

YesterdayOnceMore · 27/03/2016 09:17

It comes down to people not deliberately setting out to steal from a charity. A charity who probably can't afford to buy in the wristbands and to pay people to man the footpath to make sure people are honest.

RhiWrites · 27/03/2016 09:19

£50 for a family day out isn't really unreasonable. That's 4 people being entertained all day by attractions. Look at cinema prices and that's only for a couple of hours.

IdealWeather · 27/03/2016 09:23

Beamish isn't a footpath though, it's a road crossing one part of the attraction.
So yes it's extremely easy to go to Beamish wo paying.

But seeing the amount of money spent on running the tram, the steam loco etc... I would feel really bad not paying for it (probably not as bad in the winter when most of it is closed. It's then imo not really good value for money).

Re annual pass. I've seen a lot of attraction doping that. They don't really want you or expect you to be using it several times in the year. It has everything to do with taxes and their charitable status (ie you don't pay and entry, you become a member). I would just see it as the price of the entry is ££

TurnOffTheTv · 27/03/2016 09:28

IdealWeather not that easy really as there is normally a member of staff on the gate.

ShutUpSirius · 27/03/2016 09:33

Culzean castle. Yes. It's wrong. A national trust pass is a fiver a month.

whois · 27/03/2016 09:50

I don't think it's unreasonable to walk along the footpath and see what ever you can see whilst walking.

To set foot off the foot path and go explore the attraction would be totally U and just really skanky.

scarednoob · 27/03/2016 09:54

To me, it would depend on who charges. If it's a private company making a profit, I wouldn't feel bad. If it's something like the national trust, and the money goes towards upkeep, I would pay or take the footpath but make a contribution.

On a diversionary note but similar theme, I get cross when people stand outside a charity firework display to watch without paying. It's for CHARITY you cheapskates!

Hulababy · 27/03/2016 10:04

So you'd happily cheat a privately owned company and risk them going under and not being able to maintain their services and staff, but not so for NT type places - which one are often even dearer than many privately owned places!

unlucky83 · 27/03/2016 10:14

This is where I admit there is a locallish old building/ruins - it is fenced in and has a gate but it is always open and no one there to collect money. And you can use it as a cut through to somewhere else . We have often ambled through the ruins, reading the labels. There is a standing building and you pay on the door to go inside ...but so far we have never got round to it.
It was only when it was part of a school trip that I found out that you are supposed to pay to go into the grounds too and the notice on the wall next to the gate I had only ever vaguely noticed and never read tells you the entry prices and to pay at the building (I thought it was just the opening hours and seeing as the gate was open, never checked ...and its a nicer walk than along the roads...)
I felt guilty for about 30 sec then thought if they were that worried they'd have someone on the gate and make it clearer...(but haven't wandered through since) One day we'll have to plan and make time to actually go into the building part ...

scarednoob · 27/03/2016 10:16

For walking along a public footpath? How is that cheating a private company? They would have bought the land subject to that very footpath. I wouldn't feel the need to donate to a private company for doing that, no. I would, however, feel the need to donate to the NT.

I'm not talking about leaving the footpath, btw. that would be Very U indeed.

woollyminded · 27/03/2016 10:46

I am a countryside land management professional. The posters above are right, the right of public access is normally to use the footpath only (things can be slightly different in Scotland and in English or Welsh upland access areas, not sure about Norn Iron). Strictly speaking wandering off it is an offence.

As for not worrying if it is a 'natural landscape' sort of place. Bear in mind that these places, particularly if popular, cost a heck of a lot to protect and look after and it is exceptionally hard to raise direct income to cover that. If possible a donation is always welcomed. If money is tight write to the council and say what a lovely path it was (if indeed it is a commodious and we'll maintained path!), I listen to PRoW officers taking abuse almost every day and they go nuts if there's a nice comment about a path in their patch!

BitchyComment · 27/03/2016 12:43

If money is tight write to the council and say what a lovely path it was

What a great suggestion. I think I'll send an email. The paths around where I live are very well maintained even the ones that don't seem to be used very much.

Floggingmolly · 27/03/2016 12:47

If it's "technically allowed" why do people pay £18.50?? Are you sure you aren't planning to leg it over the wall?

grapejuicerocks · 27/03/2016 12:59

I consider myself generally honest but if money was tight and this was an option then I don't think I'd hesitate tbh. Blush

Hulababy · 27/03/2016 13:44

Its not technically allowed. The right of way is the road, not to then veer off and enter the attraction.

Last time we went there were staff on the road anyway so I'm sure they could easily spot someone deciding to walk in.

Hulababy · 27/03/2016 13:47

Scarednoob- staying on the path/road would be fine but I don't think that's what the OP is talking about. You can't see much at all just from the road.

If it was a public road/path/right of way and all I wanted to do was walk down it then I wouldn't pay regardless of ownership.

curren · 27/03/2016 14:00

So the op wants to sneak in?

That's really bu.

HarlotBronte · 27/03/2016 14:56

YANBU to use a public footpath. People don't have the right to ask you not to do so, simply in order that they can continue to enjoy days out in the amenity it crosses at a particular price. YWBVVVU to come off the public footpath.

ToastDemon · 27/03/2016 15:20

To those that guessed Culzean, yes that's the one. But haven't been for a while, it was unmanned access via the beach the last time I did.
I did have annual National Trust for Scotland membership but it lapsed and we were leaving the country so it wasn't worth purchasing for another year. But point taken for future - in my head being prepared to walk a distance made it okay somehow but I'll pay up from now on.

unlucky83 · 27/03/2016 20:09

Actually this has just reminded me of something my mum told me...it happened to someone she met on holiday.

It was a granny visiting her grandchildren, decided to take them out for a walk. She saw a gate open and a tarmac road, no signs or anything so she thought she'd she were it led. As she was walking along one DC said he'd seen a zebra - she said don't be silly- it'll be a cow...she looked and it was a zebra. She'd managed to walk into the back entrance of a big zoo. As she was walking back a ranger came up on a quad bike (they were in the animal treatment area) and she told him what had happened. The gate should have been closed and locked but he said if she wanted to go out the front entrance instead and take her time and have a look around on the way he wouldn't tell anyone...(She didn't cos they were planning to visit anyway (they had family passes) and the DCs were tired)

nauticant · 28/03/2016 11:51

For those posters saying that it's the responsibility of the landowner to prevent wandering from the path, this is what happens when a landowner takes steps to prevent this:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/10820038/Landowner-stops-ramblers-straying-onto-his-property-by-erecting-300ft-long-metal-fence.html

Horrible.

Dowser · 28/03/2016 12:27

I thought it must be Stonehenge .
£15 when we were last there .

I looked and thought...I'm sure locals will know a way over the fields.