classes on open access land

josie · classes on open access land

Does anyone know, if a gundog trainer wanted to hold a class on Open Access Land, would they need the permission of the land owner as per usual, or could they just hold a class there as it's Open Access??

cressy

My personal thoughts are that if a commercial activity was taking place you would certainly need permission as holding a class does not fall into the usual activities performed on foot that access allows. As a common courtesy I would also think it best to have a formal permission.

I also found this piece of info on this website http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/content/view/full/75

On Access Land

While exercising the new access right with a dog, you must use a fixed lead no more than 2 metres (6 feet) long at all times near livestock, and from 1st March to 31st July as this is the ground-nesting bird season. You may also find that dogs are excluded from grouse moors and from lambing enclosures at lambing times

josie

Ok thanks Sue, will pass on.

lou

I think dogs are only allowed on open access land when they're on a public footpath.......and as Cressy says even then only on a lead during bird/lamb season.

therefore it would be necessary to seek official permission to take your dog off the footpath and off the lead........outside bird season.

There are public footpaths through the moors near where i live that also go through a shooting estate. signs very clearly say that dogs must be on lead or by permission of the landowner.

Louise

josie

Open Access is different to a footpath, Lou. It means that the entire area marked out on the Ordinance Survey map is accessible to the public, not just the footpath. (That's just a regular footpath.)

lou

yeah, i know that but the public doesn't include dogs - unless the rules vary from county to county.

I know when the laws came in i nearly turned back on one of my usual walks on moorland cause they had put up massive 'NO DOGS ALLOWED' signs. it was only reading the small print that I realised that it meant no dogs unless they were on the designated footpath and on lead. signs like this are all over the North Pennines.

I guess it depends on the landowner and the sensitivity of the species in that area. i suppose it makes sense that some areas of open access land are more important than others in terms of conservation etc.....

still worth asking the landowner just to cover your back.

Louise

Helen

They have a no dogs rule on the access land around here. I wonder if it depends on area?

I certainly wouldn't be happy being on access land for a training sesion without permission.

Helen

josie

Can I take my dog?
You can normally enjoy walking with your dog on open access land. However, sometimes there may be a ban on taking your dog or you may need to keep it on a lead due to sensitive wildlife. Access land marked in yellow on the maps means you can take your dog but if it is marked in red hatching, you should check the details of the restriction to find out if you and your dog are affected. Please use this link to learn more specific detail about dog walking on Access Land .

On Access Land
While exercising the new access right with a dog, you must use a fixed lead no more than 2 metres (6 feet) long at all times near livestock, and from 1st March to 31st July as this is the ground-nesting bird season. You may also find that dogs are excluded from grouse moors and from lambing enclosures at lambing times.

http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/things_to_do/dog_walking

http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/things_to_do/open_access

johnhod