is there an issue with going for a long walk in the countryside?

[EricaNernie]

that is remote and accessible on foot?

why should this be for an hour?

codename tbf yes, most locals do. Which makes it even more unforgivable for the tiny minority that don't stick to them. But unfortunately because we aren't a picturesque tourist area every fucker seems to think it's a nice secluded area to drive to and traipse all over. But apparently I'm unreasonable to put my horses in my fields if I don't want people to climb in and see them. And for pointing out a field of cows isn't a picnic area.

The colder weather last week was lovely because people from towns were making the most of mainly deserted paths and using them as intended. One nice day and the fuckwits are spoiling it for everyone.

My colleague was telling me off for making my daily walk last 3 hours. I live on my own and I don't speak to anyone on the walk. Or go near anyone. I have to get out of the house for my own sanity.

We’re walking in the countryside every day. We have direct access from our house straight onto footpaths. So we walk from home. We did this all the time even before Coronavirus.

We don’t touch gates. I pick up a bit of stick or leaf or something to do the gate with (and I pick it up from away from the gate in case other people have been doing the same...) . I’m nimble enough to get over a stile without touching it.

So I go out, don’t touch anything, stand well back and let anyone I come across past.

Problem is, lots of people have been driving and parking on my street so the woods are super busy. So even though it is my “local walk” I’m having to go very early or just before dark to avoid the “tourists” which is frustrating.

As a very remote farmer, I'm going to put this in capitals

WE ARE LAMBING AND CALVING

The excess increase in people going for a nice walk is causing hell for us. In addition to gates, styles, whatever. Sheep are being disrupted and upset. Even if they don't have lambs, they are about to. They do not like and are not used to people wandering about. I'm not even going to start on dogs because OP did not mention one and that's a whole other issue.

Walking along the edge of a field of lambs and sheep can take hours to correct later.

So yes, if you must, go for that walk. But try to remember that just because something seems to you as no problem, it might be for someone else.

i do hope it doesnt come to foot paths being closed off

@Scrowy
Build a dam in a stream.
Those bloody beavers get everywhere!
Mine have been missing since last Tuesday, if you happen to catch them again, please send them home.

I have absolutely no intention of refraining from using public rights of way. It's amusing to see the opportunistic crap being spouted by farmers who have wanted for YEARS to end the public's right to use the legally established networks of footpaths and bridleways. It won't work. If you're worried about your gates, carry hand sanitiser or wear gloves, as the rest of us have to when sharing public spaces. If there's a public right of way across your land, then the public are going to use it and you need to plan your use of the land accordingly, or go through legal channels to get the right of way removed. Otherwise - tough shit.

Just because you can use farmland as your route for daily exercise doesn't mean you should.

This is someone's place of work and livelihood, as well as their home. I'm not usually precious, but I don't see why anyone would risk that just because they're allowed.

Go somewhere else if at all possible. I understand the need/ want to go somewhere pleasant but there are more important things than your enjoyment of spring flowers and birdsong unfortunately.

Yes, it's someone's place of work and livelihood, with a public right of way running through it - so expect to encounter the public. Tesco's is someone's place of work as well. I won't be avoiding that either.

Walking in the countryside is the public's right, the system of footpaths and bridleways are there for our legal use. Nobody has the right to tell people not to do so.

I have a footpath that runs through my horse's field. Usually noone ever walks there. Now lots of people are using it, feeding my horses haribo (saw this yesterday), dropping litter and letting their kids run around the field off the footpath. This morning someone left the gate open. Luckily dhorse was too stupid to escape and just stood at the open gate.

Dh and I have padlocked it shut with the blessing of the farmer. Good luck getting the council to do anything at this time. It's a shame idiots have to spoil it for everyone else.

@Derbygerbil @ShesGotBetteDavisEyes

All the reasons @Scrowy lists.

It's bloody impossible to accidentally take a wrong turn and stray onto my land or two of my neighbours, although more than one person has tried suggesting they thought they were meant to come off the glaringly obvious path and climb through/ over post & rail/ hedges/ stock fence/ barbed wire etc.

I jest about the gun, I'll just change the Shetland to out in the day.

Even if people find it beyond them to use the same courtesy they would expect if it was their gardens, now is not the time to place additional work and risk on the food chain.

@sadpapercourtesan I assume you are in England, me Scotland hence the slightly different rules. Here we have a right to roam. So people can do just that. We cannot plan accordingly as they can go wherever they would wish to roam.

My point is simple, had this been any other time of the year by all means enjoy your responsible walk. But at this moment in time remember that land is not the only issue and livestock are being disrupted and indeed lost as a result.

i wasnt questioning the where - i shall continue on the public foot paths,
dog under control - enjoying the spring flowers, bird song, green fields, and sunshine, and peace and quiet because there is no one else visiting the same places as me
wash hands when returning.

i was asking about the time limit

England's deputy chief medical officer said in one of the briefings that UV (sunlight) kills the virus. The chance of anyone catching it from a gate or stile is remote, and anyone handling animals should be careful with hand hygiene anyway.
This isn't foot and mouth, as long as walkers are socially distancing and keeping to paths, dogs on leads etc, there's no problem.
But, many farmers and landowners would much prefer public rights of way didn't exist, nothing new there.

Walking in the countryside is the public's right, the system of footpaths and bridleways are there for our legal use. Nobody has the right to tell people not to do so

Yes, they are a legal right, but people also need to respect and understand the countryside. They aren't suburban cul de sacs, they run through people's homes and places of work.

Tonyaster, if you've blocked a legal right of way people will just climb over. Or come back with wirecutters. How utterly childish.

I don't picnic/shit/have a dog/wander off the mandated footpath. I don't trespass and I don't take the piss. I'm sorry if others do. But denying people their perfectly legal right to use public footpaths is not the answer.

Yeah, they can climb over. But at least they can't leave the gate open now. Sorry, if people are too stupid to shut gates then I'll have to do it for them.

The reason many farmers and land owners don't like footpaths and rights of way is because far too many people are too stupid/ too selfish to use them as they should, following the country code. It's not the farmers and landowners that are to blame, it's the knobs that spoil it for everyone else.

If you are in walking distance of the location then yes, go for it. If you have to travel in your car to get there then absolutely not.

@EricaNernie it does not say anywhere about not touching gates. that would be ridiculous

How so??

If you think trolley handles in supermarkets need sanitizing before you use them, then gates probably do too.

If there's a public right of way across your land, then the public are going to use it and you need to plan your use of the land accordingly, or go through legal channels to get the right of way removed. Otherwise - tough shit

It's people like you that are the problem. It might well be your right to use it but with rights come responsibilities, I.e don't take the piss.

But please tell me how exactly I stop people going wherever they like and doing whatever they like in all of my lambing fields?

One step off the footpath and it's trespass. A footpath is 1m wide.

It's fine. I live in the countryside. If I cant walk in the countryside then I cant go out of my gate. We have roads and streets in rural UK so I dont need to touch a gate or go into any fields. I just walk on the path, or in the road, or cross the road into the woods.

Op if your going on foot no one has any right to get upset about it. I could walk round my village naked. It wouldn't attract the police as they simple dont come out into rural villages unless there is a death nowadays. Even a burglary would drove them near. So common sense tells me I'm not going to be fined for walking around the Hamlet where I live.

I think the posters who get angry about people walking in the countryside dont really understand that people in the UK can live near a beach or rurally. That's a part of everyday life to do so

People walking quietly across my land, shutting gates and respecting where they are is fine. Litter, dog shit, dogs off leads, stupid plastic poo bags hung from hedges, picnics in the field, feeding animals - all moronic.