What the Code is
The Countryside Code explained for walkers sets out practical guidance for enjoying the outdoors considerately. It is intended for people spending time in the countryside in England and Wales, including those walking, cycling or riding. Footpath Notes is an independent British guide to walking and hiking in the UK. Access arrangements differ across the UK, so the Code should be understood alongside the rules that apply in the place you visit. Its advice is organised around three themes: respect everyone, protect the environment and enjoy the outdoors.
Who it applies to
The Countryside Code applies in England and Wales and offers guidance to people visiting or enjoying the countryside. Walkers can use it to make considerate choices around other visitors, land managers and the places they pass through. Its advice is not, by itself, a law: the Code brings together practical guidance and points to rules that may already be legal requirements.
That distinction matters on a walk. The Code encourages responsible behaviour, while particular duties can arise from legislation or other rules that apply to a location or activity. A walker should not treat every recommendation as a legal offence, or assume that a legal requirement is optional because it appears in guidance.
Scotland has a separate Scottish Outdoor Access Code, associated with access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Northern Ireland has its own access arrangements rather than following the England and Wales Code. Before a trip across a UK border, check which framework applies; it helps you make informed choices without confusing guidance in one nation with access rules in another.
The three themes
The Code’s three themes are respect everyone, protect the environment and enjoy the outdoors. Respect means recognising that a path or landscape may be shared by walkers, cyclists, horse riders, local residents and people working outdoors. Give others room to pass, keep noise at a considerate level and speak courteously if you need to coordinate.
Protecting the environment means leaving places as you found them. Take litter home, avoid disturbing wildlife and farm animals, and keep to durable surfaces where appropriate rather than trampling plants or fragile ground. Small choices matter: a snack wrapper left beside a path can be carried into a hedge by wind or rain, while a quieter approach gives wildlife less reason to flee.
Enjoying the outdoors includes planning ahead for a safe countryside walk: check the route, weather and daylight, and carry what the conditions require. These themes support one another rather than compete. Considerate behaviour makes shared visits more pleasant, care for nature preserves the setting, and sensible preparation helps walkers enjoy it responsibly. Together, they help walkers, residents, land managers and other visitors share the countryside with fewer conflicts and less avoidable harm.
Rights of way and access land
A walk may follow a public right of way or cross mapped access land, and the two have different access arrangements. Route status determines which users may travel along a public path. Access land provides a separate right to walk across specified areas, subject to restrictions. Knowing which applies helps you plan a route and interpret signs on the ground.
Waymarks and colours
Waymark colours help identify the public route you are following, while the route’s status indicates the permitted types of access. The standard colours and access rights are:
| Route type | Waymark colour | Access indicated |
|---|---|---|
| Public footpath | Yellow | Walkers on foot |
| Bridleway | Blue | Walkers, horse riders and cyclists |
| Restricted byway | Purple | Walkers, horse riders, cyclists and horse-drawn vehicles |
| Byway open to all traffic | Red | Walkers, horse riders, cyclists, horse-drawn vehicles and motor vehicles |
These colours are commonly shown on route waymarks, including signs at path junctions, but a marker is not a substitute for checking the right of way. For public footpath rules and other route details, consult a current map or official rights-of-way information if a sign is missing, unclear or appears inconsistent with the mapped route.
Open access land
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 created open access land in England and Wales. It grants access on foot to mapped areas, rather than creating a general right to cross every field or parcel of countryside. The mapped land includes these types:
- Mountain: Upland terrain classified and mapped as mountain access land; the access designation applies to the mapped area, not simply to any high ground.
- Moor: Mapped moorland is included in the statutory categories, although the boundary of access land must be checked on a current map.
- Heath: Heathland can qualify as access land when it appears within the mapped designation, rather than solely because it has heath vegetation.
- Down: Mapped downland is another category covered by the Act; the access right follows the designated land boundary.
- Common land: Registered common land may be included when mapped as access land, but not every common automatically has the designation.
Access land can be closed or restricted on certain days, so a mapped area does not guarantee entry at all times. Before walking, check current access-land information and notices, then use waymarks to follow public routes and the mapped boundaries and restrictions to identify where you may walk.
Dogs, livestock and gates
The Countryside Code for walkers calls for care around farm boundaries, animals and other people using a path. A quiet approach and unhurried movements help avoid startling livestock or disrupting work in fields. Take all litter home, including fruit peel, and do not light fires in the countryside. Managing gates, livestock and dogs thoughtfully helps keep paths safe and farmland undisturbed.
Gates and stiles
Use the gate or stile provided rather than climbing a fence or leaning heavily on rails. Open a gate by its latch, move through without forcing it, then secure it gently; slamming can startle nearby animals or damage the fastening. On a stile, place your feet on the steps or supports and avoid putting weight on loose rails or wire.
Leave each gate as you found it. If it was closed, close it behind you so livestock cannot wander onto a road or another field. If it was open, leave it open: the farmer may need it that way for livestock movement or access to water. When its intended position is genuinely unclear, avoid changing it and pass through quietly.
Before opening a gate, check where animals are and give them room to move away. Do not herd them towards the opening or stand between an animal and its escape route. Close the gate without rushing, and check that the latch has caught before continuing along the path.
Livestock
Give cattle and sheep room, especially where animals are gathered near a path or field boundary. Keep your route calm and predictable, and do not try to touch, feed or drive livestock.
- Give cows with calves a wide berth; never walk between a cow and her calf, and choose another route across the field if there is room to do so.
- Keep a steady pace and avoid sudden movements or loud calls around cattle. Do not approach animals for photographs, and leave sheep undisturbed rather than splitting a flock.
- If cattle come towards you, stay calm and move steadily towards the nearest safe field edge or exit. Do not run, corner animals or block their way.
- If cattle follow or begin to chase, keep moving towards a boundary or substantial barrier without provoking them. Avoid getting trapped against a fence or between the herd and a gate.
- Look ahead for other walkers before moving around a herd, and leave enough space for them to pass safely. Do not encourage cattle towards people or narrow path entrances.
Choosing a wider line around livestock is often safer than trying to pass close by. Once clear, continue without disturbing animals gathered beside the path.
Dogs
Keep a dog close enough to respond immediately around farm animals and wildlife. Access land has specific lead requirements, and a lead should not become a hazard if cattle approach.
- On access land, keep your dog on a short lead of no more than 2 metres from 1 March to 31 July, the seasonal period for ground-nesting birds.
- Keep your dog on a lead at all times near livestock, including outside those seasonal dates. Hold it securely and give animals plenty of room.
- Near wildlife, use close control and prevent chasing, barking or rummaging in nests and burrows. Take a quieter route if your dog cannot settle around animals.
- If cattle chase you while your dog is on a lead, let go of the lead rather than risk being pulled over. Move calmly towards safety when you can.
- Once released, do not try to grab your dog while cattle are close. Get yourself clear first; call the dog back when there is a safe opportunity.
A secure gate, a wide path around livestock and a dog under close control are practical choices for considerate walking. Adjust your route rather than pressuring animals or other path users.
Countryside Code questions
These common questions help walkers make sound decisions when using paths and countryside access in England, Wales and Scotland.
Can I walk across a field of crops?
Yes, a public footpath can be followed across a field of crops. Keep to the line of the path shown by waymarkers or the route on your map, rather than choosing a shorter line across the field. If the path is not obvious, look for its entry and exit points and follow the most direct line between them. Walk in single file where crops border the path, and avoid stepping into planted rows or widening the track. This respects the farmer’s crop while allowing you to use the public route.
What if a footpath is blocked?
Report a blocked or damaged path to the local highway authority. Note the path’s location, the nearest road or landmark, the date, and what is obstructing it; a map reference or clear photograph can help the authority identify the problem. If you cannot safely pass, turn back or use a clearly signed alternative route where one is available. Do not climb or damage fences, gates or other property, and do not cut across adjoining land or make a new track. Report the obstruction rather than trying to clear it yourself.
Do I have to keep my dog on a lead?
Lead requirements depend on the location and circumstances. On access land, keep a dog on a short lead of no more than 2 metres from 1 March to 31 July, and at all times near livestock. Local signs may set additional restrictions, so check them before setting out. Elsewhere, keep your dog under close control and prevent it from chasing or disturbing animals; if you cannot rely on recall, use a lead. Be ready to shorten the lead or move away when approaching livestock, other walkers or horses.
Is wild camping allowed?
Wild camping is generally not a right in England and Wales without the landowner’s permission. Ask before pitching a tent on private land, even if a public footpath crosses it; the right to walk does not include a right to camp. Scotland’s access code allows responsible wild camping, subject to conditions: keep the group small, stay only briefly, use lightweight equipment and camp well away from buildings and cultivated land. For a trip, check the rules for the country and specific land first: seek permission in England or Wales, while following the Scottish access code’s conditions in Scotland.