I live near Abernethy Forest, There's a gate leading into the forest which i walk through most days. But now a girl with horses has put a padlock on the gate and i am no longer able to get through with my dog. Surely this isnt allowed if the gate is owned by the RSBP and she hasnt spoken to them?
does the gate border a field with her horses in or is it just a gate to the forest? If in doubt contact whoever is the ranger of the forest - I'm sure they must have a little hut or something you can find them in...I would contact them to ask anyway just so you know whether she's allowed to stop other people getting in to the area.
When a man wants to murder a tiger he calls it sport; when the tiger wants to murder him he calls it ferocity. ~George Bernard Shaw
I thought that there is a right to roam law in Scotland, so you were able to go most places. I'm sure someone else will have more information about this type of thing.
'In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks' John Muir.
Excuse wobbily dyslexic spelling!
There is a right to roam in Scotland, called the Scottish Outdoor Access code, which allows anyone to access any land (apart from those excluded) for recreation, as long as they are resonsible in their actions and as long as they don't carry out certain recreational activities (eg. hunting, shooting, fishing etc). But some areas of land are excluded from this. If the land is owned by the girl with horses and she lives there, it may fall into the category of 'Houses and gardens, and non-residential buildings and associated land', which is excluded from access rights, so members of the public are not allowed to enter this land.
You can find out more about this here: http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/outdoors-responsibly/your-access-rights/
You could always contact SNH and ask them about the access code and whether or not you should be allowed access to the path. You can contact your local Access Officer here: http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/help-and-information/contact-la-officer/
Hope this helps!! :)
Home again, home again.
Check it: http://sarahwestsblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Hi folks - a colleague has alerted me to your concern about a locked gate on the reserve.
We do lock some field (large) gates on the reserve because of problems with unauthorised vehicle access, and some past experience of poaching deer. However, if we do lock a gate we generally have a bridle gate/gap in the fence, adjacent to the main gate, to allow access by visitors - on foot, horse or bicycle. I am not aware of a locked gate at an access point onto the reserve without this sort of provision, so news that you have found one is helpful.
'Nethygirl' - please could you either contact the reserve to let us know the location of the problem, or advise me via the blog? We'll then check the location and sort it out. Thank you.
Jeremy
Jeremy Roberts
Senior Site Manager, RSPB Abernethy National Nature Reserve