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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to walk down this path?

60 replies

GoldenOmber · 03/09/2021 15:51

Near where I live there’s a lot of nice walking paths. One of them goes near a small group of new houses. The footpath predates the houses. It’s on private land I believe (not owned by the people in the new houses), but, as we’re in Scotland, you’re allowed to cross private land on foot so long as you’re being responsible and not too close to anyone’s homes etc.

The people who live in the new houses do not like walkers going along this footpath. They can’t actually stop people (they have put a No Entry sign up previously, which the council made them take down), but if you walk down that path they will sometimes come up and question you about where you’re going and why you’re there and make it very clear they’d rather you weren’t.

Today, nice day off, out for a walk, strolling happily down that path to find a local resident standing with arms folded glaring at me. Did not respond to a cheery “Morning!”

The path isn’t close enough to any of the houses to see in through the windows or anything, and it doesn’t cross anyone’s gardens, and it’s part of a nice longer walking route. Legally, walking down it is fine. But the people in those houses definitely do not want people doing it.

YABU - walk somewhere else, who cares what the law says, they don’t like it.
YANBU - law overrides what they like, keep walking.

OP posts:
tobedtoMNandfart · 03/09/2021 15:54

YANBU. Fuck 'em.

Finfintytint · 03/09/2021 15:54

Stuff em. Carry on.

mrsbitaly · 03/09/2021 15:56

Keep walking they are being ridiculous and if it bothers them they should move.

I don't understand what the problem is unless there were loud groups of people walking by but someone minding there own business going on a quiet walk and being approached like that is unacceptable and bordering on harassment which you can report them for as you are not breaking a law nor being a nuisance

Quirrelsotherface · 03/09/2021 15:56

Keep on walking, louder 'good morning', big cheery voice, broad smile

FannyBrice · 03/09/2021 15:59

I would literally ignore them as if they didn't exist
They knew it was a path and still decided to buy a house there

longtompot · 03/09/2021 16:03

They should have known about the path when they bought their houses. Their faults really. Keep using the path. I would.

NoSquirrels · 03/09/2021 16:04

There’s nothing they can do - it’s a footpath. If they ask, you’re going for a walk. Keep walking!

girlmom21 · 03/09/2021 16:06

YANBU. Enjoy your walk!

mbosnz · 03/09/2021 16:06

They bought their house. Not the footpath.

They bought their house knowing about the footpath.

Stuff 'em.

SirVixofVixHall · 03/09/2021 16:07

We have a footpath ( not in Scotland) , we knew about it when we bought our land, and unless walkers are straying wildly off it we will say a cheery “hello” .
They are being completely unreasonable. They must have known the situation when they bought the houses.

GoldenOmber · 03/09/2021 16:10

Excellent, I shall keep walking.

Part of the footpath became the access route to their houses when they were built - you go off the road down that for a while and then it forks off one way to the houses and another way to turn into a narrower footpath. So possibly they weren’t aware of it, or thought that it was ‘their bit’ since it got resurfaced when the houses were built? The whole route is labelled on maps though, not like it’s a secret.

OP posts:
Ifeelmuchlessfat · 03/09/2021 16:14

It’s your civic duty to keep walking - these ancient public rights of way need to be maintained or they’ll be lost! They shouldn’t have bought there if they don’t like it.

Mamamamasaurus · 03/09/2021 16:18

Earphones in. Gloria Gaynor full volume. Continue.

Cheeky fuckers.

Tal45 · 03/09/2021 16:22

It does my head in when people live somewhere and then think they own the road/laybys/surrounding countryside. Keep walking.

CherryHug · 03/09/2021 16:26

Definitely keep using the path!

DottyHarmer · 03/09/2021 16:26

I believe there is a deadline by which all public footpaths should be logged and recognised. Probably info is on the Ramblers website.

Landowners and recent residents do their best to disguise/block off public footpaths, in the hope that they will not be logged and can be deregistered.

Try to get this path logged somewhere, OP!

TaraR2020 · 03/09/2021 16:27

@Ifeelmuchlessfat

It’s your civic duty to keep walking - these ancient public rights of way need to be maintained or they’ll be lost! They shouldn’t have bought there if they don’t like it.
This is what I was about to say. Going to assume it's the same in Scotland as I'm England, but if you don't use it - you lose it!

Also - sounds like harassment to me

Nixandwotsit · 03/09/2021 16:28

Keep walking, in fact get in touch with local walking groups and get some help. The council took their sign down, you have right to walk there.

Nixandwotsit · 03/09/2021 16:28

Could you get an off duty police person or two to come rambling with you?

DottyHarmer · 03/09/2021 16:30

Yes, it’s on Ramblers website and various media - 2026 is the deadline for noting all public footpaths, otherwise they are lost.

I like walking, and the number of times I find a path not just overgrown, but the stiles barbed-wired over and false “private” signs.

notthemum · 03/09/2021 16:46

As others have said YANBU. The footpath does not belong to them. Fuck em.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/09/2021 16:48

Keep walking. Perhaps form a ramblers or walking group and then a whole group of you could go?

Thewiseoneincognito · 03/09/2021 16:51

I couldn’t be that person, I’d feel like an absolute dickhead

GoldenOmber · 03/09/2021 16:53

Have checked the Ramblers website and the path is on there. (Along with some others I didn’t know about so thank you for suggesting!)

OP posts:
EstuaryBird · 03/09/2021 16:55

Bring it to the attention of your local Ramblers group. Apart from enjoying a good walk we do like to ensure that footpaths are freely accessible. I’m sure they’ll be happy to explain it to your newcomers 😊