to resist having 'legal footpaths' on my land?

[OofyProsser]

I own 60 acres in South of England. It is all private with no public access. However, we have always let local people walk here with their dogs etc.

We recently moved some electric fencing to access some new grazing for cattle which cuts across a fairly well-trodden path (but there are others).

A 'walking group', which isn't terribly local and whom I've never heard of, are now threatening legal action unless we re-open the path. I've spoken to one of their reps to explain that it's private land but they don't care. How cheeky is that?

I'm so fucking cross that I feel like padlocking all the gates and sticking 'private' signs up everywhere.

What does MN think?

sorry oofy i was laughing at your crossed out comments below...good luck with it all...

From my research I also think that any costs of maintaining a RoW are jointly held by council and landowner but check this...

Offy, don't mean to be cheeky here cos I do genuinely feel for you but you must have know it would be controversial to fence off a well-trodden path if you're a dairy farmer?

Sticking up 'private' signs will just make them more cross and will mean they definitely pursue it. The minute you look at the RoW stuff online you'll see that the opening footpaths machine is in full flow and you won't get too far fighting them... FWIW I should say that I have some sympathy with malevolent nutters the Ramblers Association types, because I think people should be allowed to walk the countryside responsibly, but that they shouldn't pursue their claims stupidly (which they often do). Equally, large or even smallish landowners shouldn't be arrogant about their rights and need to have a responsible grasp of the history of land ownership etc..

FFS a Holiday Inn advert just popped up at the side with WALKING BOOTS IN A FIELD. Arrghghghghgh!

Thanks for all your help. As Carmenere said, MN is a bloody marvel!

Is there a public right of way through your land?

If so, tough titty

I'm not, fence away

why exactly do you need 60 acres of land all to yourselves? why do you object to 'walking groups'?

FFS.

are you another Van Hoogstraten in the making?

donnie, at least read the OP properly even if you can't be arsed with the rest of the thread.

There's a dear.

why have you changed your name?

also why don't you answer my questions - theres a dear.

Because MN hates the rich.

I don't hate the rich. I just hate people who own shedloads of land and sit on it like selfish fuckers.

is that ok?

Donnie, I think that the 60 acres was probably for Oofy's livestock and not for her own person use.

Cows are needed for milk, beef, leather and other cow related products available from any shop.

I am a farmer's daughter and a walker and it really pisses me off that walkers can't respect simple things like the fact that grass is a crop and running through it or letting your dog do the same ruins it! Or that walking around an electric fence is easy peasy and will still get you to the other side of the field!

Why do I have 60 acres to myself?
Because I farm it. And other people do use it.

Why do I object to walking groups?
From OP "have always let local people walk here".
From thread "it's not so much the access that bothers me"

Am I Van Hoogstraten in the making.
Strangely, no.
He blocked an existing public right of way with all manner of immoveable objects.

OFFS 60 acres is TINY for a farm. and if I had a farm I would not be too pleased with the idea of people walking on it but then I'm Irish and we don't have the weirdy right to roam thing so perhaps I am missing something.

donnie, gah, you give socialism a bad name, you don't know enough to be casting your nastursians around like that....

Donnie,

I hate the rich actually but farmers aren't usually rich and they work fucking hard to give us food an all... And was brought up in a 'right to roam' household (yup, full of hippies: see my other post on menstruation jumpers !) and went on Kinder Scout trespass anniversary meself, so as I've said, have LOTS of sympathy...

...but 60 acres of dairy farmland is not, actually, shedloads. And walkers have got to be responsible and not niggly malevolent fuckers who don't think about the consequences of their actions. They are well protected in law and can reasonably exercise their rights.

Oofy isn't being an arse: just upset and has the right to be. Your comments aren't gonna help her/him compromise are they?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH BEING A WALKER??????

listen to yourselves!!

no one is saying anything is wrong with being a walker are they? i must have missed that.

Donnie - OP has made it very clear that she doesn't have a problem with walkers on her land. She does have a problem with there being a single specific right of way across her land (which has to be permanently maintained). She only has to keep walkers off her land if that is the only way to avoid a single permanent right of way (rather than being able to wander across the land as they do at present, albeit avoiding cattle!).

To give you an exact picture, I have moved some electric fencing to an area that has lots of grass but has also been recently walked over a lot by er, walkers. It butts up against some open woodland that I am more than happy for them to wander through until they reach the end of the fencing.

There are no existing public rights of way. Before we lived here the land was totally private. We do let people walk on the land. I'm just not happy about them demanding I put styles here and fencing there and keep it fixed that way. I'm flexible about the lands use, it would be nice if the walking group that's taking legal action could be as well.

(Actually I'm liking the 'shedloads of land' comments, makes me feel big and important whereas I am actually the tiniest shrimp in the tiniest rock pool).

Donnie, you must be pissed or summat cos you're not reading anyone's posts...

I AM a walker, was brought up by walkers and when I called em malevolent fuckers, this was because the Ramblers Association has within it individuals who do, just because they can, demand the reopening of footpaths which have NEVER been used.

If you'd read the posts, you'd see that this appears not to be the case for Oofy but she/he is also being very reasonable about that and also does not think there's anything wrong with being a walker...

Some of us are also being, hey, tongue in cheek with our comments, as MNers are wont to do, even when they have quite sensible intentions behind the humour.

Get over yourself, mate...

Umm, donnie... the OP bought some land that was previously completely closed to the public. As well as using it for farming (assuming that they aren't pet cows) he/she immediately opened it up by permission for local walkers. His/her issue is that she wants to be able to freely move fences and so forth, which from time to time will block some paths while leaving others open.

Oofy sounds like you may be in a strong position legally, but do get a specialist solicitor they can advise you on the current position and also on steps you can take to protect yourself while still allowing access to the land by permission.

There is nothing wrong with being a walker Donnie and no-one on this thread has said there is. It's just that walkers, who presumably have a love of the countryside, sometimes don't seem to realise that many people have to make a living off the land that they wish to walk over.

My dad is a tenant dairy farmer and works harder than anyone I know for not a lot of money. He also walks more than anyone I know, in fact every one of his few days off he's out on the hills. He gets very pissed off when people let their dogs run in the cows or they go off the path and tramp through a meadow. Does that make sense?

Just to update - case has been dropped. The Walking group accepted that I was still allowing access and that RoW paths, over many years, had never been established. Another point was that as all the surrounding land (owned by other people) remained private that I was not blocking any longer routes/access to next village etc.

We're now operating a permit scheme but will have to close the land off for several days a year. So local dog walkers and my fatter cows are all happy.

It turns out that none of the walking group members had even been here. Bit weird but there we are.

Thanks to everyone for their advice.