Know the Access Code

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You should get to know the Access Code so that you know what your rights and responsibilities are.

The key to the new access is 'responsibility'. The new access legislation expects land managers to manage their land responsibly to allow for access, but the public exercising their access rights must also behave in a responsible manner.

You can view the 'Guide to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code' on the Outdoor Access Scotland website. The guide provides a summary of responsible behaviour and explains how people can exercise access rights and how land managers can manage their land and water responsibly in relation to access rights.

The link also allows you to download a full copy of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. The Code provides a practical guide to help people decide what is best to do in everyday situations including dog walking, cycling, horse riding, fields, farmyard, fishing, forests, golf courses, sports events and wild camping.

Briefly, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code says that:

The main responsibilities for someone wanting to exercise their access rights are:

• 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
• care for your environment
• keep your dog under proper control

• to respect access rights in managing land or water
• act reasonably when asking people to avoid land management operations
• not to put up signs, notices or fences to deter access
• to work with the local authority and other bodies to help integrate access and land management