Please use the countryside responsibly- so fed up

[jacks11]

On a rare day off from my day job, I have once again spent the day dealing with a series of thoughtless and/or completely entitled idiots behaving totally irresponsibly on our land. I had thought the one (very small) silver lining of this awful situation would be that this lambing season would see us free from so many problems from people out for a walk etc. But still having issues.

Today I stopped no fewer than 7 families traipsing through either the yard, our garden (one family stopping to have a seat on the picnic table/bench in our garden) or the lambing sheds to have a look. One family also stopped off to admire the lambs in one of the fields then preceded to take there youngish children (under 10) into said fields to see them closer. Several gates left open, people climbing over gates etc. I caught someone feeding our old pony apples and a doughnut! We’ve had rubbish being dropped. Dogs off leads etc.

What I cannot understand is how so many are getting to us- they must be breaching the guidance to only exercise locally or walking at least 7 miles from the nearest village. Which I doubt with the ages of some of the children.

When DH politely approached the family in our garden they were really rude, citing their “right to roam”- not even slightly apologetic when pointed out they were in our garden so they had no right to be there. Ditto several other people- don’t seem to realise right to roam does not apply to private gardens or land used for commercial reasons- I.e. yards/lambing sheds and you must behave responsibly (e.g. close gates, don’t let dogs off leads near livestock, don’t leave rubbish, don’t worry livestock, don’t walk across crops etc).

When you add in the situation with Covid, you’d think people would be careful about touching gates etc unnecessarily- but no. Lots of people have vulnerable family members and this is just an added headache- having to constantly be aware that people may have touched the gates/railings/doors etc.

Please use the countryside responsibly- some of us live on the land you are using as a playground. You are putting our livestock at risk- please don’t feed livestock/horses for that reason- and sometimes yourself in danger. There is no excuse for leaving rubbish.

Rant over!!

PepePig fortunately in the UK the public is allowed access to the countryside. This is the same public that coughs up for farm subsidies. It's also a public that needs to be educated about the countryside and how to behave in it.

The rural/urban split is bad enough without telling townies to go back to town. That attitude is extraordinarily narrow minded. I say that as a confirmed non-townie.

I have dogs that need to be exercised. Strangely, like most people, I lacked the 20/20 foresight to spot Covid coming.

Agree about countryside code.

If I were a farmer I'd be loading up my muckspreader and going to town all round the fields....

Purple I do walk round my local area. On footpaths, over fields. Where I am allowed to go.

But shit, if our local farmers expressed some of the views on this thread, I wouldn't be returning straying collies and lost stock tags any longer.

Both of which, for info, I have done in the past.

The subsidies are paid to ensure that the masses have affordable food . They’re not paid to give the farmers an extra few quid in their bank accounts .

They don't need to be exercised on farm land though @GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman. I have a dog but we aren't going on our usual walks because of the virus.

Sure it's more pleasant to walk across fields but it's not essential. Dogs don't die if you have to walk them on tarmac for a few weeks.

Can you not just walk in the roads atm ?

Grumpy - you may be allowed but you are NOt wanted . Why is that so difficult for you to understand ?

Guyfawkes- if people were walking on our land we’d be doing exactly the same .

This is the same public that coughs up for farm subsidies

I don't get a farm subsidy and am not a farmer. I happen to have a footpath going through one of my privately owned fields. I own it. The public have a right of way across it. At the moment I've padlocked it off. We also have posters all over the village telling people who don't live in the village to go away. They seem to be working as we have stopped having cars parking in the lanes piling their dogs and kids out the back and leaving open gates and litter.

There's a whole network and because of their historic purpose, a lot go through farm buildings.

Sorry, that seems batshit crazy to me. When you think of potential harm and detriment to vital crops and livestock, public liability issues if morons come to harm. . . it seems an utter (and very outdated) nightmare!

We just don't want you in our community at the moment. Yes, you have a legal right to use footpaths through farms and villages, but we do not want you here unless you live in our village. You are not welcome.

You have a legal right to access public rights of way - I never thought the farmer would ever have "wanted" us too - ever! - but that's tough shit really, they can object all they want but they are breaking the law putting up obstacles - which clearly some don't give a shit about. We respect the land, stick to the path etc and will continue to do so.

it’s great to hear some of the views of the farming type here, that want to disobey laws that they moan about people disobeying, The public footpaths have been there for a long time way before you inherited your farm and lands, I’m glad I take some cutters with me on my walks, if the farmers can’t obey the laws, why should we,
Why put your sheep in a field with a footpath at this time of year? Yes put a bull in the field by all means, I hope it complies with the laws about bulls in fields,
We’ve had months a rain, still we walk on the footpaths, haven’t seen livestock or a person for months, ( Farmers holiday time ) then suddenly we are meant to know that over the next style there is now ewes with lambs, yes we are mind readers, a sign would be very helpful,
And can you point to a definitive rule about dogs on leads or Under close control, ( what is close control?)
With your attitudes it’s no wonder people can’t be bothered to talk civil to you,

You have a legal right to access public rights of way - I never thought the farmer would ever have "wanted" us too - ever! - but that's tough shit really, they can object all they want but they are breaking the law putting up obstacles - which clearly some don't give a shit about. We respect the land, stick to the path etc and will continue to do so. How can you enjoy your walk when you know you're causing such distress.

but they are breaking the law putting up obstacles - which clearly some don't give a shit about

Yes illegal, and I do give a shit actually and thought long and hard about it. But finding dhorse standing in a bemused fashion by his open gate made my mind up for me. His safety trumps anyone's desire for a walk across a field. I am absolutely not going to get into trouble for it at the moment, sorry!

How can you enjoy your walk when you know you're causing such distress. Causing distress? Really if me walking a public right of way causes distress may you need to develop some resilience - how am I distressing anyone?

Grumpy - do you really think that the public “ cough up “ the money for subsidies? It’s rather more complicated than that .

And can you point to a definitive rule about dogs on leads or Under close control, ( what is close control

Does there need to be a definitive rule for goodness sake? Dogs and sheep do not mix (unless a sheep dog used that that flock and vice versa).

Going back to the OP though, it seems very odd that people are finding their farm when the nearest village is 7 miles away. A 14 mile round walk? Are they on bikes? Or is there somewhere to park which is much closer, in which case could you talk to the landowner about blocking it off?

In fact to be honest I am loving the padlocked gate and might leave it. People can climb over if they really want to.

used TO that flock

Oh Hester please stop.

Hester54 you sound like an absolute plonker.

Wow, the attitudes of the ramblers make me very sympathetic to the farmers.

Footpaths are public land - they do not belong to the farmer

That's not true at all - but is an insight into what people mistakenly believe and why they are behaving like this ( apart from the fact they are ill mannered louts)

It is private land, not owned by the public, and public footpath merely means that the public has a right to pass along it - not deviating off it and not sitting an having picnics on it. The landowner has to keep the path itself open and maintain the gates and stiles and may not put dangerous animals like bulls to deter people. Both sides have rights and duties. Its not the responsible walkers who are causing this trouble, it is people who think everywhere is a free theme park, that they can use as they wish . There are farms where you can go and pet the animals and picnic - they are run as commercial ventures and you pay for your day out. Try wandering across one of those for free.

Hester - don’t be a dick