Follow The Country Code - The Country Code Book 1982

The Country Code and The Countryside Code are sets of rules for visitors to rural, and especially agricultural, regions of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The Country Code dates back to the 1930s and the Countryside Code replaced it in 2004.

The original rules

The Country Code evolved from the work of various organisations and had several different versions from the 1930s. The most widely accepted version of The Country Code was published in 1981 by the Countryside Commission: #Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work #Guard against all risk of fire #Fasten all gates #Keep your dogs under close control #Keep to public paths across farmland #Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls #Leave livestock, crops and machinery alone #Take your litter home #Help to keep all water clean #Protect wildlife, plants and trees #Take special care on country roads #Make no unnecessary noise In the 1960s and 70s the Country Code was publicised by several

public information film Public information films (PIFs) are a series of government-commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the United Kingdom. The name is sometimes also applied, ''faute de mieux'', to similar films from other countries, ...

s shown in cinemas and on television. At some point after 1981, the instruction to fasten all gates was replaced with one to instead leave gates as found.

The Countryside Code

In 2004 The Country Code was revised and relaunched as The Countryside Code (Côd Cefn Gwlad in Welsh) to reflect the introduction of new open access rights and changes in society over the preceding years. The revised Code was produced through a partnership between the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales *Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs *Leave gates and property as you find them *Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home *Keep dogs under close control *Consider other people

COVID-19 version

In early July 2020, the Westminster government published an amended short version of the code online during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

as lockdown was being eased across England to help manage public access to the countryside under the changed circumstances.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code

In Scotland, where there is a more general right of access, Scottish Natural Heritage developed ''The Scottish Outdoor Access Code'', which was approved in draft form by the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...

in July 2003 following the passing of the

Land Reform (Scotland) Act Land reform in Scotland is the ongoing process by which the ownership of land, its distribution and the law which governs it is modified, reformed and modernised by property and regulatory law. Land ownership in Scotland Scotland's land issues ...

of the same year, and was accepted in February 2005. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code differs significantly from The Country Code in that it promotes access rights that include crossing over land and non-motorised recreational activities like walking, cycling, angling and horse riding, and will normally apply in all rural settings. The basis of access rights over land (in Scotland) is of shared responsibilities, in that those exercising such rights have to act responsibly, following the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, while land owners/managers have a reciprocal responsibility in respecting the interests of those who exercise their rights. The Scottish code "is based on three key principles hichapply equally to the public and to land managers": # Take personal responsibility for your own actions. # Respect people's privacy and peace of mind. # Help land managers and others to work safely and effectively. Three additional principles apply to visitors:"Scottish Outdoor Access Code", pp.17–19 # Care for your environment. # Keep your dog under proper control. # Take extra care if you are organising an event or running a business. Both the Countryside Code and the Scottish code provide guidance for land managers as well as visitors.

References

External links