Would you walk across someone else's fields?

[hotpatooties1]

Just that really. I've been surprised since moving to a farm just how many people are willing to walk across other peoples land and allow their dogs to run all over it too. Some of the fields have just been sewn and are sprayed with fertiliser regularly..they don't seem to care.

I wouldn't do it, was brought up on and around farms and was told not to walk over other peoples land. I understand the right to roam and that lawfully, they are doing nothing wrong. It just doesn't seem right.

This morning I drove past one of our fields that is gated. A woman had gone into it with her dog, let it off lead and had a kid on a bike in it..AIBU? Would you do that?

YANBU.
I have never done it and wouldn't. It's rude.

No, of course not.

I would use a public right of way through a farmer's field though, which some landowners seem to think is just as bad

Only if following a footpath, and then only to go round the edge of course!

No, it’s trespass pure and simple. It’s not as if there isn’t plenty of rural open space suitable for dog walking.

Meaning a marked footpath with right of way

I have done if its empty or just grass but never if there is crops as I would presume I could be liable for any damage done to the crops.

No I wouldn't but there was a long thread on here at the start of lockdown demonstrating that a lot of people have zero respect for farmers and the fact that their crop fields are for growing food rather than providing a playground for people.

I was out running this morning and went through fields strictly footpaths only of course.

I wouldn’t allow a dog off lead, but I can’t see what’s wrong with walking through somewhere that’s got a public right of way footpath. That’s what they’re there for. If anything, it’s wrong (and rude) to expect people not to use them.

@romdowa

I have done if its empty or just grass but never if there is crops as I would presume I could be liable for any damage done to the crops.

Why? I guess I can just come and sit in your garden then if it's just grass

If you have fields of wheat it might be Theresa...

I should've said. We don't have any footpaths. Our fields don't actually lead anywhere and I wouldn't run over them for fear of breaking an ankle

I think people see an 'empty' grass field and think it's fair game but for all the know, I could be at the other end of it that they can't see with my in season bitch or we could be putting cows into it for grazing. It's quite dangerous!

I use public footpaths, some are not well used but I have the OS app.

@Scandicc

If you have fields of wheat it might be Theresa...

Hahahahahahah a real life ambition to be able to tell her off for running in the wheat.

No of course I wouldn't do it. But since the average spend on promoting the Countryside Code over the past fifteen years has been just £2000 per annum for the entire country, I'm not surprised vast swathes of the population are completely ignorant of how to behave when out and about anywhere that isn't a public park. In fact judging by the levels of litter, they don't know how to behave anywhere!

I live in the countryside and go around them.

I thought you only had a right to roam in areas designated for access?

I’d only generally walk through fields that have a foot path. On the odd occasion I have walked over farm land I’m very careful to not cause any harm, would let my dog run over crops etc. But it’s pretty rare, we have lots of foot paths where I live.

• wouldn’t let.

Depends if it's a public right of way or not... Some near us are not clearly marked and signposted on how to get across the fields... One I sent on recently I asked the farmer who told me where the path went.. Confusing because I'd normally walk round edge of field but he said that wasn't route but council are responsible for sign posting.... They put signs up round here indicating risk to livestock from dogs and covid...... Most people respect it... But I find some dog owners are irresponsible and don't keep their pets under control.

This makes me so cross for so many reasons. No OP YANBU to expect people not to kill your crops by walking (or cycling!) on them. To expect people not to leave dog shit on your fields where it can kill your animals, to not leave poo bags hung up in hedges or in fields where they get bailed and kill your animals. To keep to the footpath and not walk all over private land they have no right to be on in the first place.

Firstly, if you're in England there isn't a 'right to roam' unless it's open access land like moorland. I'm aware it's different in Scotland.

Secondly it's completely unacceptable to have a dog off a lead on farm land. A friend of ours recently lost 3 rams, 4 ewes, 5 lambs and still has ewes aborting because of a dog attack/worrying. This was in a field with no public right of way.

Walking across cultivated fields is completely unacceptable. Would these people walk across plants in flower beds? Even grass is a crop. Trampling it down when it's being grown for hay or silage is the same as trampling through a field of cabbages.

I'm not against people enjoying the countryside at all, by the same token, if there is a footpath then walkers are not U to expect the farmer to keep it passable, not plough / sow over it so you have to trample it if you're on the path, not block rights of way/stiles/lock gates etc.

Regardless of what anyone else would do the fact is that you are only allowed to go on public footpaths. It's not an area for opinion, it's a matter of fact unless of course the landowner has given you permissiiopn

Even if every reply on this thread was from someone would trespass your legal rights don't change.

What did the woman say?

I'd never use a field that didn't have a marked public right of way. That's just appalling.

One of my dogs was really ill a few years ago from walking on a public footpath through a field that had been sprayed with something, and I do now avoid any paths through these as a result. And the dogs have their paws washed in hibiscrub the moment we get home.

She said that as the gate was open she thought it was just grass and it was okay. The gate was open as it had just been sprayed to kill the weeds. I hope her dog is okay I don't let my dogs near that stuff.

I've had an incidence when I was walking my dog on her lead down a track leading to fields behind our house (you can't get down the track because my drive way blocks it), two dogs came bounding across two large sewn fields at me. The whole family walking along the road and up the verges with multiple dogs just sniffing around in the fields. People are so confident in their convictions sometimes!

No. No more than I would go onto anyone's property. Rural or not.

& if using a public footpath through private land the dog would be on a lead.