Welcome To Wirral

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities.

• Where can people go on your land?
• What rules apply to people while they are on your land?
• What are your rights and responsibilities towards other people on your land?

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly.

• How can you help people get access to your land responsibly and keep to the Countryside Code?
• What help and advice can you get?

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety.

• Are there any risks to the safety of people on your land, and how can you deal with these risks?

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities

• Visitors are allowed to access land in different ways. For more guidance on how this affects you and what your rights, responsibilities and liabilities are, contact your local authority or National Park authority, and look on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• The Ordnance Survey's 1:25,000 maps show public rights of way and designated areas of open land. These maps are generally reliable but not ‘definitive’, so you will need to check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority. You can find out which areas of access land are mapped under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 on www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• By law, you must keep rights of way clear and not obstruct people’s entry onto access land – it’s a criminal offence to discourage rights of public access with misleading signs.
• Trespassing is often unintentional - see the Managing Public Access Advice Sheets on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk for advice on tackling trespass. Alternatively, request a copy from the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly

• Keeping paths, boundaries, waymarks, signs, gates and stiles in good order will help manage access over your land. Contact your local authority or National Park authority to find out what help is available.
• Where there is public access through a boundary feature, such as a fence or hedge, use a gap if you can. If this isn’t practical, use an accessible gate or, if absolutely necessary, a stile. When installing new gates and stiles, make sure you have the permission of the local authority.
• Encourage respect for your wishes by giving clear, polite guidance where it’s needed. For example, telling visitors about your land management operations helps them to avoid getting in your way.
• Rubbish attracts other rubbish – by getting rid of items such as farm waste properly, you’ll discourage fly tipping (dumping rubbish illegally) and encourage others to get rid of their rubbish responsibly.

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety

• Your duty of care under the Occupiers' Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984 depends on the type of access right – so it’s important to know what rights, if any, apply to your land.
• Contact the Country Land and Business Association on 020 7235 0511 or the National Farmers’ Union on 0870 845 8458 for more guidance.
• Consider possible man-made and natural hazards on your land and draw any risks to the public’s attention if they are not obvious.
• Avoid using electric fencing and other hazards close to areas that people visit, particularly alongside narrow paths and at the height of a child. The use of plain wire is strongly recommended in place of barbed wire.
• Animals likely to attack visitors should not be allowed to roam freely where the public has access – you may be liable for any resulting harm.

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities.

• Where can people go on your land?
• What rules apply to people while they are on your land?
• What are your rights and responsibilities towards other people on your land?

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly.

• How can you help people get access to your land responsibly and keep to the Countryside Code?
• What help and advice can you get?

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety.

• Are there any risks to the safety of people on your land, and how can you deal with these risks?

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities

• Visitors are allowed to access land in different ways. For more guidance on how this affects you and what your rights, responsibilities and liabilities are, contact your local authority or National Park authority, and look on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• The Ordnance Survey's 1:25,000 maps show public rights of way and designated areas of open land. These maps are generally reliable but not ‘definitive’, so you will need to check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority. You can find out which areas of access land are mapped under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 on www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• By law, you must keep rights of way clear and not obstruct people’s entry onto access land – it’s a criminal offence to discourage rights of public access with misleading signs.
• Trespassing is often unintentional - see the Managing Public Access Advice Sheets on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk for advice on tackling trespass. Alternatively, request a copy from the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly

• Keeping paths, boundaries, waymarks, signs, gates and stiles in good order will help manage access over your land. Contact your local authority or National Park authority to find out what help is available.

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities.

• Where can people go on your land?
• What rules apply to people while they are on your land?
• What are your rights and responsibilities towards other people on your land?

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly.

• How can you help people get access to your land responsibly and keep to the Countryside Code?
• What help and advice can you get?

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety.

• Are there any risks to the safety of people on your land, and how can you deal with these risks?

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities

• Visitors are allowed to access land in different ways. For more guidance on how this affects you and what your rights, responsibilities and liabilities are, contact your local authority or National Park authority, and look on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• The Ordnance Survey's 1:25,000 maps show public rights of way and designated areas of open land. These maps are generally reliable but not ‘definitive’, so you will need to check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority. You can find out which areas of access land are mapped under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 on www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• By law, you must keep rights of way clear and not obstruct people’s entry onto access land – it’s a criminal offence to discourage rights of public access with misleading signs.
• Trespassing is often unintentional - see the Managing Public Access Advice Sheets on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk for advice on tackling trespass. Alternatively, request a copy from the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly

• Keeping paths, boundaries, waymarks, signs, gates and stiles in good order will help manage access over your land. Contact your local authority or National Park authority to find out what help is available.

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities.

• Where can people go on your land?
• What rules apply to people while they are on your land?
• What are your rights and responsibilities towards other people on your land?

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly.

• How can you help people get access to your land responsibly and keep to the Countryside Code?
• What help and advice can you get?

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety.

• Are there any risks to the safety of people on your land, and how can you deal with these risks?

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities

• Visitors are allowed to access land in different ways. For more guidance on how this affects you and what your rights, responsibilities and liabilities are, contact your local authority or National Park authority, and look on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• The Ordnance Survey's 1:25,000 maps show public rights of way and designated areas of open land. These maps are generally reliable but not ‘definitive’, so you will need to check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority. You can find out which areas of access land are mapped under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 on www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• By law, you must keep rights of way clear and not obstruct people’s entry onto access land – it’s a criminal offence to discourage rights of public access with misleading signs.
• Trespassing is often unintentional - see the Managing Public Access Advice Sheets on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk for advice on tackling trespass. Alternatively, request a copy from the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly

• Keeping paths, boundaries, waymarks, signs, gates and stiles in good order will help manage access over your land. Contact your local authority or National Park authority to find out what help is available.

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities.

• Where can people go on your land?
• What rules apply to people while they are on your land?
• What are your rights and responsibilities towards other people on your land?

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly.

• How can you help people get access to your land responsibly and keep to the Countryside Code?
• What help and advice can you get?

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety.

• Are there any risks to the safety of people on your land, and how can you deal with these risks?

 

Know your rights, responsibilities and liabilities

• Visitors are allowed to access land in different ways. For more guidance on how this affects you and what your rights, responsibilities and liabilities are, contact your local authority or National Park authority, and look on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• The Ordnance Survey's 1:25,000 maps show public rights of way and designated areas of open land. These maps are generally reliable but not ‘definitive’, so you will need to check the legal status of rights of way with your local authority. You can find out which areas of access land are mapped under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 on www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
• By law, you must keep rights of way clear and not obstruct people’s entry onto access land – it’s a criminal offence to discourage rights of public access with misleading signs.
• Trespassing is often unintentional - see the Managing Public Access Advice Sheets on the land managers section of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk for advice on tackling trespass. Alternatively, request a copy from the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.

 

Make it easy for visitors to act responsibly

• Keeping paths, boundaries, waymarks, signs, gates and stiles in good order will help manage access over your land. Contact your local authority or National Park authority to find out what help is available.
• Where there is public access through a boundary feature, such as a fence or hedge, use a gap if you can. If this isn’t practical, use an accessible gate or, if absolutely necessary, a stile. When installing new gates and stiles, make sure you have the permission of the local authority.
• Encourage respect for your wishes by giving clear, polite guidance where it’s needed. For example, telling visitors about your land management operations helps them to avoid getting in your way.
• Rubbish attracts other rubbish – by getting rid of items such as farm waste properly, you’ll discourage fly tipping (dumping rubbish illegally) and encourage others to get rid of their rubbish responsibly.

 

Identify possible threats to visitors’ safety

• Your duty of care under the Occupiers' Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984 depends on the type of access right – so it’s important to know what rights, if any, apply to your land.
• Contact the Country Land and Business Association on 020 7235 0511 or the National Farmers’ Union on 0870 845 8458 for more guidance.
• Consider possible man-made and natural hazards on your land and draw any risks to the public’s attention if they are not obvious.
• Avoid using electric fencing and other hazards close to areas that people visit, particularly alongside narrow paths and at the height of a child. The use of plain wire is strongly recommended in place of barbed wire.
• Animals likely to attack visitors should not be allowed to roam freely where the public has access – you may be liable for any resulting harm.

 

Background notes.

This Code for England has been produced through a partnership between the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales and is supported by:

Association of National Park Authorities

British Horse Society

Country Land and Business Association

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

English Nature

Environment Agency

Forestry Commission England

Local Government Association

National Farmers’ Union

National Trust

Ordnance Survey

Plain English Campaign

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

The Ramblers’ Association