Trespassing: why do people do it?!

[Lolo]

Just a note to all hackers out there. If you see a nice grassy stretch, or some woods with fences in, or a stubble field, please get the owner's permission before you ride on it. It's only polite. If you have to open a gate to get into it, the likelihood is you're not meant to be going in there without express permission.

And if someone catches you and calls you out, don't bother lying. People who do this ruin it for the majority, and in this case the lie is very easy to spot... Only one person has permission to ride on that land and she was the one who asked if you did!

I know it sucks when you have limited hacking and there's the perfect place, but please phone around first and get permission. 90% of the time, people say yes, but when they say no there's usually a very valid reason!

Message over, sorry!

 

[CobsGalore]

Yes I agree, you wouldn't trespass onto a railway line or into someones garden, so why do it into someones field?

However, what if there is a bridleway that leads into a field with no gate or sign. Does the owner have permission to shout at and intimidate the riders even when it is a genuine mistake?

Works both ways...

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Do people really open gates while out hacking and go onto other peoples land? Saying that the farm next door to me is now empty as and we see a lady bring her dog up to walk it through the farm land don't think she has had permission to do so.

 

[RunToEarth]

Great post Lolo. Annoying isn't it? OH had someone cantering down the side of his "grass" last week as "there wasn't a sign saying it was private". It was his wheat, which he is very proud of given the absolutely shocking weather we've had the last 12 months. NOA.

 

[Ilovefoals]

Agree! I have a very tempting stretch of grass bordering a field only 100yds from the end of my road which would be great for cantering and fittening. Only trouble is I dont know who owns it and I'd never dream of riding on it without their permission!

 

[Lolo]

Yes I agree, you wouldn't trespass onto a railway line or into someones garden, so why do it into someones field?

However, what if there is a bridleway that leads into a field with no gate or sign. Does the owner have permission to shout at and intimidate the riders even when it is a genuine mistake?

Works both ways...

Yes... The bridleway stops, private land starts and you're trespassing. What if that's afield with drains put in, or has just been seeded, or has sinkholes in? The landowner could have put it aside as part of a conservation scheme, or to appease DEFRA and you riding on it could ruin that, or be very unsafe... I find taking note of where the land starts and then phoning round (land owners tend to know each other pretty well, so if you get the wrong person they do pass you on) and getting permission so the next time you ride out you can go on there guilt free works well

 

[Emma86]

I totally agree wit OP, I would never dream of riding on land without permission, especially with the amount of shoots we have in the area!

Just a question though, how would you approach the landowners when asking permission to ride on their land?

I know of a couple of the landowners round here as the village is small and the land is split between about 3 different families, so what is the best way to approach them without irritating anyone? Some who have posted on this thread seem to be landowners themselves so how would you like to be approached and would you be happy to let people ride on your land if they were respectful?

 

[Lolo]

Great post Lolo. Annoying isn't it? OH had someone cantering down the side of his "grass" last week as "there wasn't a sign saying it was private". It was his wheat, which he is very proud of given the absolutely shocking weather we've had the last 12 months. NOA.

We're not even landowners, just get permission to ride wherever we do. And always have done. So rude, and can ruin people's livelihoods.

 

[Lolo]

I totally agree wit OP, I would never dream of riding on land without permission, especially with the amount of shoots we have in the area!

Just a question though, how would you approach the landowners when asking permission to ride on their land?

I know of a couple of the landowners round here as the village is small and the land is split between about 3 different families, so what is the best way to approach them without irritating anyone? Some who have posted on this thread seem to be landowners themselves so how would you like to be approached and would you be happy to let people ride on your land if they were respectful?

We found out who the landowners were and just phoned them, and left a polite message explaining who we were and that we were wondering if we were allowed to ride over 'x' bit of land. Said thank you very much, and hoped for a phone call back!

 

[RunToEarth]

Yes I agree, you wouldn't trespass onto a railway line or into someones garden, so why do it into someones field?

However, what if there is a bridleway that leads into a field with no gate or sign. Does the owner have permission to shout at and intimidate the riders even when it is a genuine mistake?

Works both ways...

Invest in an Ordnance Survey map - it has all public rights of way highlighted on it. I strongly believe there is no margin for error with rights of way as OS maps are available to everyone, if you are going to take advantage of public rights of way through peoples' land, at least have the common sense to enducate yourself on where the paths are - it is an excuse I get met with time and time again, last year someone followed me down the farm track "because they saw a horse (mine) riding down it". I can just imagine the reaction I would get if I rode up to the local livery yard and used their arena because I saw other horses in there...

 

[JFTDWS]

I completely agree - the number of hoof prints I see on the hay field and conservation margins (belonging to the farmer who owns my field) - there's one I ride because it borders the byway and is a much nicer surface in summer and I asked him if it was ok - but everyone else just seems to think anywhere is fair game and to hell with whoever owns it and has to deal with the mess they make


eta - OS maps can be viewed for free online - no excuses for not knowing where the routes are. Genuine mistake due to navigational error, maybe with sincere apology and immediate retreat, but better yet, learn to read a map properly!

 

[Hippona]

I have permission to ride on the field next to my yard...its a crop field, but the farmer leaves a big track around the edge so he can access his other fields. His words were....as long as you dont ride on the crops, feel free. So I do...its useful to link up with another bridleway.

But I see people walking dogs ....right accross the crops, not even on the track ....its blatantly obvious its a crop field and someones livelihood....in winter a whole family were out there building snowmen and sledging

 

[RLS]

I once called at a farm to ask permission to ride along the track in their field to reach some forest plantation (which I also asked permission to ride in). Farmer's wife said yes, that should be ok. I think, great!
A month later was the first chance I got to ride over that way. Farmer sees me in the field, and says "don't ride in there". Drat!
So, just make sure that when you ask, that mr and mrs farmer are actually on speaking terms!

 

[RunToEarth]

I once called at a farm to ask permission to ride along the track in their field to reach some forest plantation (which I also asked permission to ride in). Farmer's wife said yes, that should be ok. I think, great!
A month later was the first chance I got to ride over that way. Farmer sees me in the field, and says "don't ride in there". Drat!
So, just make sure that when you ask, that mr and mrs farmer are actually on speaking terms!

Oh no My OH has a list in his truck of riders he has given permission to, with a note of horse colour. He saw a grey horse riding down one of his tracks, and knew everyone he had allowed access to had dark coloured horses. He drove down there to give them a good telling off, only to find that it was actually me, on his horse... Obviously he'd forgotten we've had a grey for a good few years now!

 

[JFTDWS]

RTE that's brilliant

 

[Lolo]

RTE, that's hilarious!

I think it can be difficult if you see others riding on the land, but you have to remember they may have special permission/ privileges/ be the actual land owner!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

For those who are using an Ordnance Survey Map please learn the difference between a Bridleway & a Public Footpath......... they are not the same thing!

 

[Emma86]

For those who are using an Ordnance Survey Map please learn the difference between a Bridleway & a Public Footpath......... they are not the same thing!

Don't know if it is the same in other areas but the OS map I have for our area is covered in footpaths but with very few bridle paths. Also, the way the Bridle paths are printed over the footpaths makes it quite difficult to see where the bridle paths stop. So to be on the safe side I just stick to the ones I know for definite rather than go off exploring and get it wrong!

Have tried finding clearer OS maps online but not had much luck, so if anyone has any links to the free OS maps online it would be much appreciated

 

[Archangel]

Bing is good for maps, you can select ordnance survey.

 

[monkeybum13]

Nothing annoys me more than people who think they can ride (and walk) where the hell they like

 

[cold_feet]

I agree that trespassing is wrong, and should always ask permission. However, it would be nice if consideration always worked both ways. There is a bridleway we used to use that was a lovely grassy strip through the middle oF a field. A few years ago the farmer ploughed up the grass strip, and just rolls a tractor through the plough along the line of the bridleway. Now that path is either too deep and muddy if wet, or too hard and rutted if dry. The path gets wider and wider as we have to pick our way through. Another lovely ride spoilt.

 

[wench]

Bloody dog walkers trespass all over my dads shoot. Pulling up fences upsetting birds and vandalising feeders.

 

[OWLIE185]

If you have any doubt about the status of a particular path/track then contact the Definitive Map Officer at your local County Council and ask them to advise you of the correct status of that particular path/track.

A Bridleway running across a field may be ploughed up but must be reinstated to its previous condition and surface within 14 days including the day it was ploughed up.

A Bridleway running along the side of a field may not be ploughed up at all.

A Restricted Byway (No motorised vehicles may use it) or Byway must not be ploughed up wherever it is.

 

[Emma86]

Bing is good for maps, you can select ordnance survey.

Ooh Thank you! So much easier when you can zoom!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I agree that trespassing is wrong, and should always ask permission. However, it would be nice if consideration always worked both ways. There is a bridleway we used to use that was a lovely grassy strip through the middle oF a field. A few years ago the farmer ploughed up the grass strip, and just rolls a tractor through the plough along the line of the bridleway. Now that path is either too deep and muddy if wet, or too hard and rutted if dry. The path gets wider and wider as we have to pick our way through. Another lovely ride spoilt.

I agree with this - we have loads of bridleways that have been completely ruined by farm vehicles and logging vehicles. As people try to ride around the worst bits the path gets wider and damages more of the land and woods around it and also people are tempted to take short-cuts to get to better paths. This is land owned by the very wealthy landed gentry so no real excuse for zero maintenance and likely to be more costly in the long run.

 

[RunToEarth]

I agree that trespassing is wrong, and should always ask permission. However, it would be nice if consideration always worked both ways. There is a bridleway we used to use that was a lovely grassy strip through the middle oF a field. A few years ago the farmer ploughed up the grass strip, and just rolls a tractor through the plough along the line of the bridleway. Now that path is either too deep and muddy if wet, or too hard and rutted if dry. The path gets wider and wider as we have to pick our way through. Another lovely ride spoilt.

I think consideration does work each way, most landowners who have a public right of way through their field maintain it to the standards required.

Legally as long as a landowner has run their wheelings over plough within 14 days of ploughing it, they are doing the right thing. Having bridlepath users dictate, or even have an opinion on what a landowner should crop/plough/maintain as grassland is ridiculous, and I would suggest you get a feel for the £/ac land is going for at the moment before you form such strong opinions on what landowners should crop.

 

[zaminda]

The lovely farmer who I rent my field off has just started fencing her footpaths to keep people on the right place, and adding gates. She has also put some horned cows on one of the fields where people seem to think they can allow there animals free range. Her patience has simply run out. The grief she has been getting from some of the locals is unreal, they have made comments along the lines of 'but we have always walked our dogs here' moving on to far less polite things. As she says some places you don't mind too much, straight across crops is another matter!

 

[OWLIE185]

Where a public right of way is impassable or obstructed then one is allowed to take a reasonable diversion. However it is important to contact the Access Department of the local County Council and make them aware of the problem as they are responsible for ensuring that the path/track can be freely used. They will then inspect the path/track and ensure that it is repaired or any obstruction is removed.

 

[BBH]

Yes its annoying.

I have a nice stretch of river bank and love to chill out there but its maddening when you get people coming over who have wandered away from the ROW path.

I once had friends down and we found a whole collection of naked sunbathers there. I just cannot understand people not checking that somewhere is public before using it. Worse thing was they weren't exactly fit

In fairness I don't have many people stray but worse is the fact they may ie if you're sun bathing you have to be aware someone may appear at any time.

 

[Rebels]

I found a large group of people well away from the footpath who had come to see my baby pony. The baby pony in question was then an exceptionally aggressive weanling who i was working very hard on since she thought nothing of biting