Access to open countryside: Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
Restrictions and exclusions
General restrictions
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The right of access introduced by the CROW Act is for open air recreation on foot. Activities like bird watching, picnicking, climbing and running are included under the new right. Other activities, however, are covered by restrictions excluding them from the right of access. Unless the landowner or occupier gives their permission for these activities to be carried out, or they are included in the terms of other rights of access apart from the CROW Act, then anyone engaging in any of these activities on CROW access land will be trespassing.
The restrictions are:
- Riding a horse or bicycle
- Driving a vehicle (unless it is an invalid carriage)
- Taking an animal, other than a dog onto the land
- Camping
- Organised games
- Hang-gliding or paragliding
- Using a metal detector
- Commercially-run activities on the land
- Swimming in, or using boats or sail boards on, non-tidal rivers, lakes and so on
- Taking anything away from the land, like stones, fallen wood or plants
- Lighting, causing or risking a fire
- Damaging hedges, fences, walls, crops or anything else on the land
- Leaving gates open, that are not propped or fastened open
- Leaving litter
- Intentionally disturbing livestock, wildlife or habitats
- Posting any notices
- Committing any criminal offence
- Guidance note on general restrictions [PDF] (21 KB)
Relevant authorities have powers to issue directions to remove or relax these restrictions to allow the activities they cover to be included in the right of access. However, they can only exercise these powers if the landowner agrees, and where the activities concerned are compatible with other legislation.
Restrictions and exclusions
Access to land covered by the CROW Act can be restricted or excluded in certain circumstances.
An entitled person (in relation to any land, the landowner or any other person having an interest in the land) has a discretion to exclude or restrict access on up to 28 days each calendar year. However, no more than four of the 28 days may comprise a Saturday or Sunday, and the discretion may not be exercised at all in respect of Saturdays between 1 June and 11 August in each year, nor on Sundays between 1 June and 30 September, nor any bank holiday (including Christmas Day and Good Friday). Notification of any exclusion or restriction should be made to the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298.
People with dogs can also be excluded from small enclosures in connection with lambing for a period of up to six weeks a year, and from grouse moors for up to five years. Anyone with a legal interest in land covered by the CROW Act can also apply for a restriction if this is necessary for land management, public safety or fire prevention. Further information about the different types of restriction available is provided in the fact sheet below:
- Restrictions and exclusions of access - fact sheet [PDF] (29 KB)
Land managers interested in finding out more about the restrictions system, including how to apply for a restriction, should contact the Open Access Contact Centre on 0845 100 3298 for a Land managers' guidance pack. The open access website also contains useful information.
If you are planning a walk on land covered by the CROW Act and would like to check whether the land is covered by a restriction then you can do this by looking at the online maps on access land on the countryside access website.
Restrictions will be advertised on the ground through the use of signs.If you come across any of these then please respect them. People who walk across land that is covered by an exclusion will be trespassing unless they are entitled to walk on the land under other legislation, like public rights of way, or with the permission of the land owner or occupier.
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Page last modified:
23 July 2008
Page published: 17 September 2004