Access Matters

Land Reform Act Responsible Riding Moray Access Forum Core Paths

Access matters

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ACCESS FACTSHEETS

Download information sheets.

BHS Equestrian Access Factsheets 479 kb PDF

Rights of Way in Scotland 25 kb PDF

Scottish Outdoor Access Code 578 kb PDF

Land Reform Act.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act gives everyone, including horse riders and carriage drivers, a right of responsible access to most of the countryside. Common sense exceptions apply, such as golf courses, land on which crops are growing, playing fields, industrial sites such as quarries, farm-yards and the curtilage of private houses.

These access rights are based on three key principles

	Respect the interests of other people
	Care for the environment
	Take responsibility for your own actions

Full guidance on the access rights is summarised in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, available free from Scottish Natural Heritage. You can also find details on the Outdoor Access website.

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Responsible riding

What does 'responsible' mean for horse riders?

Common sense applies, but it would include:

	riding slowly past all livestock and avoid entering fields with livestock where possible;
	leaving your dog at home;
	parking thoughtfully and leave all accesses clear;
	not carrying out repetitive schooling;
	avoiding riding on soft ground and churning up paths and tracks, especially where these are used by other people and during the winter months;
	remembering that people you meet may be old, infirm or just scared of horses
	not leaving a mess in the middle of the path and removing all litter and debris from parking areas;
	not jumping hedges, gates, stacks of timber or use custom made gallops without the owner's permission;
	wearing hi-vis clothing when on public roads;
	not riding through areas important for blackgrouse or capercaillie during the breeding season

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Moray Access Forum

The Moray Access Forum has representatives from user groups, landowners, statutory organisations and community groups and has two key functions:-

	to advise on the exercise of access rights and the development of a Core Path Plan
	to offer assistance in disputes about access rights, the Core Path Plan and the use of Core Paths.

MEAG represents horse riding and carriage driving interests on the Moray Access Forum in the User Group category.

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Core Paths

The Land Reform Act charged each local authority with developing a 'core paths network' plan. Core paths provide links around and between communities and regions, to meet a variety of objectives. These include tourism and recreation, health and reduction of motorised transport. As a speaker from 'Paths for All' asked at a recent conference - "why do we just ride for pleasure? – why shouldn't kids ride to school or why shouldn't we ride to work or the shops?"

MEAG considers that the needs of horse riders and carriage drivers has not been recognised in Moray in recent years – nearly all path developments and improvements have been to favour walkers or mountain bikers. Hopefully that will now change. In particular we would like to see a network of horse friendly trails throughout Moray. This could be a boost for tourism and equestrian businesses, similar to the South of Scotland Countryside Trails

Meanwhile please contact Simon Jacyna if there are any topics if you wish to be discussed at the Forum.

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LATEST NEWS & ISSUES

Monster Trails

Another request from the Forestry Commission! Please do not ride horses on the 'technical' sections of the mountain bike trails at Ben Aigan and Ordiequish. Someone has - and caused quite a bit of damage in the process. Could be dangerous too as bikers do not expect to see horses or walkers on these sections.

Culbin Forest

The Forestry Commission has just created several new paths at Culbin. Some of these are designed for wheel-chair users. These are not suitable for horse-riders but unfortunately some riders have been using them. Please keep off the 'all abilities paths' - damaging these and leaving droppings everywhere is not responsible use and only gets riders a bad name.

Mannoch Road

The northern end of this has been gated to stop people from driving up to the windfarm. If you need access onto this right of way for carriage driving you can contact the gamekeeper, Albert Martin, on 07771 894638 to make arrangements for the gate to be opened.

Our thanks to Rothes Estate for agreeing to this compromise solution.

If you have any access problems or queries, please contact one of our local reps.

What we do!

More detail on what we are doing, and have done.

This sign is intimidating but has no legal force.