To ask my neighbour not to use my garden as a flipping public right of way?!

[CupcakeBabaPoo]

Will try not to drip feed but this is quite outing! To cut a long story short, my neighbours, and then subsequently the world and his wife, started using my garden as a public footpath.
It was nice for a bit and it was great for the kids but everyone gets fed up of living in a goldfish bowl eventually. In the end I stopped this happening but then they started cutting across another part of my garden. I asked them politely to stop it and now they are acting like I've done something wrong - have I?! Things have got really awkward and I feel like I'm in the wrong!

Nope you aren't. Invest in fencing. If it's low enough to be stepped over replace it with something higher.

Why is your garden accessible to outsiders?

What Dolores said, and if you can't put up a fence dig very wide borders so they would have to walk in mud.

I think we need a diagram op!

But no you are not being unreasonable.

Diagram!!!

gonna need a diagram!!

Any chance of a diagram at all?

Ahem. Diagram.

I don't know if anyone has suggested a diagram ?

Front or back? Does it have a right of way across it for putting dustbins out?

Some rows of terraced housing have a right of access across back gardens, for example to take bins out, if there isn't a rear alleyway. Are you sure you haven't got something like that?

But even if you have, I don't think people are supposed to use it other than for specified purposes. You'd need to look at your deeds, and consult a property expert, if in doubt.

If it's your property then of course yanbu but without a diagram it's hard to comment on their thinking or why they may think they have right to access or right of way.

Another vote for a diagram

Diagram!

I will do a diagram when I get a chance
There is no right of way across front or back garden. Originally, a fence was down between us at the back and the kids played together so I left it for a bit (my fence) but then I wanted some privacy back (neighbours dad knocking on my window when I was cleaning it asking if I was praying....). I told her I was getting it sorted and it subsequently was. Then they started cutting across the front garden. It's an open plan front garden thing but no right of way (I will do a diagram later) so I asked them to stop doing it. I got a shitty message back asking what my problem was and since then a chalk line has been drawn on the boundary and they have mowed their part of the lawn ( we have a shared lawn, no right of way, but we would just mow the whole of it before).
I hope that makes sense. It's just awkward and I feel like I'm in the wrong!

We used to live in an end terrace with a public footpath along the side of our house. The front gardens were open plan and were not allowed to be fenced. Everyone used to cut the corner across my lawn from the footpath at the front to the one at the side. In the end I dug a border around the edge and planted some small shrubs. Most people then went around it but there were still the odd few eho hopped over the shrubs to cut the corner. So annoying.

Tell them not to.

The diagram has become the new alternative to someone warning that this will set a precedent which will lead to millions of ramblers crossing your homestead.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to point that out.

Another diagram request please. And of course YANBU

They're being arseholes but you're right to not want people walking so close to your house.

Keep enforcing those rules but try and play nice in other ways to keep u neighbourly relations. I know you're already being reasonable and I know you shouldn't have to but it's harder work falling out than it is being nice so maybe invite them round for a BBQ or something when the weather gets better.

Shrubs sound good, failing that, plant some Laylandii.

I will decide one I have seen your diagram.
On the face of it yanbu.

Does this make any sense?! I have tried to annotate it.....

Fauxgina - I have tried being nice but all it's being met with is filthy looks and petty behaviour.

Thank you for your replies

Plant something prickly.