You can access some land across England without having to use paths - this land is known as ‘open access land’ or ‘access land’.
Access land includes mountains, moors, heaths and downs that are privately owned. It also includes common land registered with the local council and some land around the England Coast Path.
Your right to access this land is called the ‘right to roam’, or ‘freedom to roam’.
What you can and cannot do
You can use access land for walking, running, watching wildlife and climbing.
There are certain activities you cannot usually do on open access land, including:
taking animals other than dogs on to the land
driving a vehicle (except mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs)
But you can use access land for horse-riding and cycling if:
public bridleways or byways cross the land – horse riders and cyclists can ride along these
there are local traditions, or rights, of access
You must keep your dog on a lead no more than 2 metres long on open access land:
between 1 March and 31 July - to protect ground-nesting birds
On land next to the England Coast Path you must keep your dog under close control.
There may be other local or seasonal restrictions. These do not apply to public rights of way or assistance dogs.
On access land some areas remain private (‘excepted land’). You do not have the right to access these areas, even if they appear on a map of open access land.
houses, buildings and the land they’re on (such as courtyards)
building sites and land that’s being developed
Use public rights of way to cross excepted land.
Search for open access land in England and find out about land that’s currently closed to walkers.
Find open access land in Wales.
Contact the local council to find common land near you.
Report problems with open access land
You can report problems to the local access authority - contact them through the local council.
If the problem is in a national park, you can contact them directly.
You can also contact the Open Access Contact Centre for information about open access land in England.
bleunt on July 20th, 2020 at 12:13 UTC »
Same in Sweden. We can walk around, pitch a tent, and pick berries. There's no restrictions unless someone's yard. And if someone litters, we will burn them to death with the fires of Odin.
haveyouseenmywetsuit on July 20th, 2020 at 12:01 UTC »
People in the Scottish Highlands tell stories of tour groups (normally from the Far East such as China and Korea who have been told of Scotland's Right to Roam) just casually roaming people's gardens looking at their flower arrangements.
Usually they just leave them to it.
whitew0lf on July 20th, 2020 at 11:55 UTC »
I live in England, and I can confirm I've met the most interesting people while accidentally roaming into their land. I once even stayed for tea and played with their pups, it was a great day.