As a farm land owner myself I say great job! I bought land knowing there were paths, I even put nice new gates in place of the styles so it's easier for the elderly and walking impaired to get through, I haven't put down a concrete path though because honestly I feel like it's going to cost me a bit much, but I'm all for people sticking to their rights, I've seen some comments on here probably by land owners that have something stuck up their arse.
I work as a volunteer for the Peak & Northern Footpaths Society, founded in 1894 to defend public rights of way. In January 2019, I attended a public inquiry in Huddersfield where Kirklees Council were defending a legal Order to downgrade the path with the "No Entry" signs from a Byway to a bridleway. The farmer had applied for this of his own volition then decided to object himself as he now believed there was no public right through the farm at all whether on foot, bicycle or on a horse. Kirklees won after a five day inquiry, then the High Court quashed that decision on appeal. Now Kirklees are having a second go and no doubt there will be a second public inquiry. We, the Ramblers' and the British Horse Society will fight any attempt by the farmer to have the public right to walk, cycle or ride the path removed from the map. Check us out on www.pnfs.org.uk
Hi John... Thank you so much for you very interesting comments.... I have had a look at your website.... it’s fantastic and i will definitely be using it.... very important work you guys are doing.... and i for one really appreciate it.... 👍👍👍
Great video Rob. I think you can report problems like this via the Ramblers Association, and they will raise with the appropriate local authority. I sympathise with locals and landowners when people mistreat the countryside, but that's no excuse for trying to close footpaths. All the best! 👍
I was informed by a council rights of way officer in 2024 that it is perfectly legal to remove obstacles from a right of way - eg cut through wire fencing, bteak padlock chains etc. He even carried bolt cutters with him on his journeys.
Interesting….. Im not sure i would be bold enough to be doing any of that but i am pleased that the rights of way officers have the tools at hand to re open our rights to pass through…. Great comment i appreciate you taking the time to do so… 👍👍👍
Interesting video. Living in Australia, where no "public right of way" exists as far as I know, I've always found the concept interesting. I guess there's a long history behind this idea. Landowners in Australia are quite protective of their property and they certainly take a dim view of the public walking through their properties. You are more like to encounter a barbed wire fence than a stile.There are huge numbers of national and state parks throughout Australia where you could probably wander to your heart's content for weeks on end.Having said that, a lot of property owners have opened up their properties to a number of cycling and walking trails.
In the UK, these paths often outdate the settlements around them. They are the ancient routes by which people travelled across the country for work/trade etc.
Hi Robert and thanks for that. My only worry Would be. If the owner came out shouting and threatening And I got the children with me would it be better to walk away Or go for the confrontation. Old dave
Confrontation is something to always avoid..... even if you are right... it’s not always easy .... but the modern world doesn’t like it.... Bring back the good old days hahaha...👍👍👍
Same thing happening down here in Kent. It is very annoying. One thing though that has really got to me is during this pandemic is that people have been coming out a lot more because there are more people down here from surrounding towns. Those people (and I don’t blame them) are out for exercise and bring their dogs. The dogs are let out to run around and it distresses the cows and sheep which is very annoying to the farmers. While I don’t mind people coming out to enjoy the countryside, quite a few seem to have no regard for the farm animals and see it as their dog ‘playing’ with them! During this pandemic, that’s something I’ve regularly seen; even people throwing sticks for dogs into a field of sheep! I know a lot of farmers and that’s why they sometimes put up those illegal signs on public byways. They don’t enforce it because locals know but it stops the ‘townies’ bringing their dogs which scares the farm animals.
Alright Ian.....👍..... I totally agree with your comments and thank you for them...👍...... I got to say I do have issues with dogs off the lead....so many times dogs have come charging over to me barking....the owner far far away trying to tell me it doesn’t bite..... You make a good point though regarding the signs deterring people of whom the countryside is wasted on..... Thanks again Ian....👍👍👍
I actually don't agree that landowners should keep dangerous livestock in fields with public access. Sheep ok. But not cows or horses. People only put them There to scare strangers from using the footpath. There should be clear paths through fields and animals fenced in.
Well, farmers generally don’t put dangerous livestock out to harm anyone. They can be done legally for that. Very often, people who don’t live in the country perceive things like cows to be dangerous rather than they ‘actually’ are dangerous. Anything dangerous shouldn’t be in a field with public access because there would be serious legal trouble.
Haha yeah it’s a different sign every time I go up there.... so I think someone is doing exactly that...👍👍👍..... and yes usually them fields are full of cattle... Thanks for watching buddy and for commenting 👍👍👍
Annoying to see farmers doing this, a lot block the entrance to public pathways in the countryside with trailers or felled tree trunks. I was half expecting you to be stopped haha. Looks a nice route does that though Robert, it’s a shame that those who are not clued up on public right of ways and the law would miss out on this walk and be scared off from those signs. Great vlog as always mate 👍🏻.
Update from a Peak & Northern colleague who lives locally. Kirklees Council have published a second Order to downgrade the byway(no.231) through the farm to a bridleway. It has been objected to. The footpath across the fields you walked (no.233) has also been threatened by closure as the farmer's legal advisor has applied to Kirklees Council to get rid of it on the grounds that it never was public in the first place.
Thank you Rob. I’m sure you know that we could lose thousands of historical footpaths by 2026 if we don’t all work together to identify them and register them. The Ramblers association have a campaign to raise £150k to help fund the identification of them. Check it out. Over £80k raised so far. We can do this! Maxine
It really depresses me that this dreadful conflict between those wishing to enjoy walking in our beautiful countryside and those who just do not wish them to walk through their gardens or over land which was paid for and bought as private property having no public right of way. There is no willingness to even appreciate that this problem exists. You correctly state that “It is important to understand if it is private land”. You incorrectly state that an OS map with green track dashes shows an indisputable PROW. An OS map actually has a written disclaimer to say that it doesn’t. If there is a dispute ( obvious by a No Public Right of Way sign) then you must go and check on the definitive map before assuming anything. You also state that If it is private land you are respectful of it and that if you bought some land with no PROW over it you wouldn’t want anyone walking through it just whenever they pleased. Can I presume, here, that the Ramblers haven’t found an historic map from 1886 showing a track through YOUR OWN garden? Do put your own postcode in and find out if you or your neighbours are affected because,please believe me many of the 49,000 miles of already marked ‘potential ‘claims ARE going to affect quite a few more people’s ordinary homes and gardens! AND it’s going to come as quite a surprise! Unwittingly you have hit the nail on the head by saying that you wouldn’t like people walking over your own private property if you’d bought it with no PROW, because that is exactly the position those facing Historic Claims through their gardens and homes have found themselves in. The properties WERE bought and paid for with someone’s hard earned cash, they DID have all the usual searches showing NO PUBLIC Rights of Way,they are NOT on the definitive map despite what the OS maps record. Further more if you become aware that people are using a private track over your land you are obliged by law to put up a sign indicating that the land is private otherwise in any subsequent inquiry you will be deemed to have ‘dedicated’ your land. In your video You also hoped that the farmer would come out and argue with you and allude to how ‘satisfying’ it was to ignore his signs. Had you not even considered that the farmer may well be right and that you are wrong? Perhaps there is going to be a public inquiry, a judicial inquiry or even a high court judgement……….but no…..you’ve decided already……it’s on the OS map, I’m right the farmer is wrong. Even if you were correct in this case you should not be misleading ordinary walkers into thinking that ALL No Rights of Way Signs can be ignored on the basis of an OS map only. I hope that perhaps you will do further research into the TRUE picture of a currently ‘scatter gun’ approach to PROW and come to realise and appreciate that there is a whole other side to the problem.
Hi Ann …. And thanks for taking the time to comment and watch this video…. Looking at all the comments on this vlog i can see that the subject is without clarity…. And i know you will agree that videos like mine raise awareness to a complex issue … I represent your average walker… rambler…. And its great to read the comments from the experts … What do i take from this ?…. It a right can of worms ha…. I will continue to be respectful and stick to the path…. As i did in this video…… Thanks once again for taking an interest …👍👍👍👍
if it was a right of way for a motor vehicle would you be as pro "use it or lose it " or is it just for the ramblers, we had hundred's of miles of green lanes which the ramblers have closed !!!! but i don't suppose that fits with the rhetoric of this one sided vlog
Ey up thanks for watching…. Brilliant comments…. Its not all about ramblers…. For me its about right of way…. And people pretending that we don’t have right of way…. All the rights of way should be kept that way…. It was just an impulse vlog of my personal feelings having seen the sign…. And i have learned a lot from the comments…. Yours included….. So i thank you again 👍👍👍
im looking at maps with public footpaths and I have 2 big dogs and love taking them to fields and wooded areas and water and where I go I find public footpaths over grown and in one field I went to there was a climb over fence style and couldn't get my dogs over or through fence I was not happy about it. I prefer the gates any day. I went in one field and came across a wooden bridge that had public footpath sign and it had ben blocked off with wood for some reason. I didn't know u had to stick to the public footpath. I ended up thinking how do I get out of this field I assume through this farm with cows and I nearly got out and was confronted by old woman at window saying I shouldn't be there use gone the wrong way and a guy came out too. they came out a bit snobby and aggressive. I now will wear my GoPro chest mounted. I hate interaction with other dogs and owners so I go places that are open. I love to let my 2 big dogs off the lead as they need to be. I couldn't see my self having 2 big dogs on lead for ages going through field following a footpath. I camped in a farmers field once that was just grass and I had my 2 dogs and some man in distance staring at me so I tied my dogs up to fence and went to him and he had a shotgun and he said the farmer won't be happy ur camping here. I said I aint moving ive come a way and halfway done already and if farmers got a problem he can speak to me or get police and then I walked back to my tent and he went away. I was only staying 1 night wild camping with my dogs and wanted to enjoy the moment and he came and tried to destroy my moment. there's a field near me that has horses and like 4 sections of fields to run in and what annoys me is at the start on the gate should have a flipping sign that says horses in field or cattle or so. one time I had my dogs off and out of no where there was horses popped up and my female French mastiff was jumping up the side of the horse and horse nearly kicking her and I shouted her loud as and said get here now!!!! she came to me and I got both my dogs on the lead and left and the horses were following me and my dogs but didn't do anything the beautiful creatures. we see cows too but my dogs have never got that close to cows. its amazed me how many footpaths there are on footpath-map.co.uk I wish the council would sort the overgrown pathways. I feel like taking tools and doing it my self but I don't want to get stopped by police and have to explain my self.
Yeah brilliant comment thank you… FYI… Dogs must be on a leash at all times in UK 🇬🇧… Wild camping ⛺️ is illegal as all land is owned in UK 🇬🇧…. Stop breaking the law… 🤣😂🤣😂🤣…… Im kidding 😂🤣😂🤣😂…. But seriously though….. Stop breaking the law ….hahahaha…. I appreciate you taking the time to comment 👍👍👍
@@RobertJohnKerrUK I know im bad im sorry honestly I do respect the fields and walk ways and farms. one farm I went to I was in a field and off the pathway obviously and seen a hole and inside was a big wasps nest and I shouted my dogs to get away. I went and seen it a few times but now I lost location where it was. idk if it would have helped if I told the farmer. maybe he put cows in there and they get stung lol it wouldn't be nice. cows are lovely.
As a farm land owner myself I say great job! I bought land knowing there were paths, I even put nice new gates in place of the styles so it's easier for the elderly and walking impaired to get through, I haven't put down a concrete path though because honestly I feel like it's going to cost me a bit much, but I'm all for people sticking to their rights, I've seen some comments on here probably by land owners that have something stuck up their arse.
Nice comment….
I have and am continuing to enjoy the conversations that this video has inspired
Thank you very much for taking the time to comment 👍👍👍
Great video and excellent to see that two years later, this footpath continues to appear on the current map.
Thanks for this update regarding the maps… 👍👍👍
"Was really hoping someone was going to come out" - Man after my own heart! :)
Haha 😂 nice one…. Its a strange truth 😂🤣…. Im so glad you enjoyed even just that bit haha… Your comments are much appreciated 👍👍👍
thanks for this, i'm currently planning a circular walk through the countryside near my house, so this really helped
That’s brilliant 👍… its a wonderful place to live…. Enjoy your circular walk…
Thanks for taking the time to comment 👍👍👍
Really liked this many thanks Robert I live in Meltham and will hunt this out and also incorporate it into a walk for Wednesday Walkers!!
Thanks so much for your comments and for watching 👍👍👍
I work as a volunteer for the Peak & Northern Footpaths Society, founded in 1894 to defend public rights of way. In January 2019, I attended a public inquiry in Huddersfield where Kirklees Council were defending a legal Order to downgrade the path with the "No Entry" signs from a Byway to a bridleway. The farmer had applied for this of his own volition then decided to object himself as he now believed there was no public right through the farm at all whether on foot, bicycle or on a horse. Kirklees won after a five day inquiry, then the High Court quashed that decision on appeal. Now Kirklees are having a second go and no doubt there will be a second public inquiry. We, the Ramblers' and the British Horse Society will fight any attempt by the farmer to have the public right to walk, cycle or ride the path removed from the map. Check us out on www.pnfs.org.uk
Hi John... Thank you so much for you very interesting comments.... I have had a look at your website.... it’s fantastic and i will definitely be using it.... very important work you guys are doing.... and i for one really appreciate it.... 👍👍👍
Great video Rob. I think you can report problems like this via the Ramblers Association, and they will raise with the appropriate local authority. I sympathise with locals and landowners when people mistreat the countryside, but that's no excuse for trying to close footpaths. All the best! 👍
Thanks for your comments Des.... and for watching.... cheers pal 👍👍👍
instablaster...
I was informed by a council rights of way officer in 2024 that it is perfectly legal to remove obstacles from a right of way - eg cut through wire fencing, bteak padlock chains etc. He even carried bolt cutters with him on his journeys.
Interesting….. Im not sure i would be bold enough to be doing any of that but i am pleased that the rights of way officers have the tools at hand to re open our rights to pass through…. Great comment i appreciate you taking the time to do so… 👍👍👍
Nice Vlog - thank you for sharing. 🇨🇦
Thanks for watching
Interesting vlog Robert, there would be mass riots if anyone tried blocking a public right of way path up here in the Lakes! Lol!
Thanks Anthony...
Interesting video. Living in Australia, where no "public right of way" exists as far as I know, I've always found the concept interesting. I guess there's a long history behind this idea. Landowners in Australia are quite protective of their property and they certainly take a dim view of the public walking through their properties. You are more like to encounter a barbed wire fence than a stile.There are huge numbers of national and state parks throughout Australia where you could probably wander to your heart's content for weeks on end.Having said that, a lot of property owners have opened up their properties to a number of cycling and walking trails.
In the UK, these paths often outdate the settlements around them. They are the ancient routes by which people travelled across the country for work/trade etc.
Do report the misleading signs to your local authority Rob, im always fearful that the sign gets replaced by a gate,
Totally agree with you 👍👍👍
Thanks. We don’t have as much public access in the US. One must be quite careful (because we do have a lot of guns)!
Thanks for watching pal 👍👍👍
A local landowner has blocked a public access route near me . They've fenced it off too
Thank you for this comment.... sorry to hear about this...
Report it. It is breaking the law.
Hi Robert and thanks for that. My only worry
Would be. If the owner came out shouting and threatening
And I got the children with me would it be better to walk away
Or go for the confrontation. Old dave
Confrontation is something to always avoid..... even if you are right... it’s not always easy .... but the modern world doesn’t like it.... Bring back the good old days hahaha...👍👍👍
Same thing happening down here in Kent. It is very annoying.
One thing though that has really got to me is during this pandemic is that people have been coming out a lot more because there are more people down here from surrounding towns. Those people (and I don’t blame them) are out for exercise and bring their dogs. The dogs are let out to run around and it distresses the cows and sheep which is very annoying to the farmers.
While I don’t mind people coming out to enjoy the countryside, quite a few seem to have no regard for the farm animals and see it as their dog ‘playing’ with them!
During this pandemic, that’s something I’ve regularly seen; even people throwing sticks for dogs into a field of sheep!
I know a lot of farmers and that’s why they sometimes put up those illegal signs on public byways. They don’t enforce it because locals know but it stops the ‘townies’ bringing their dogs which scares the farm animals.
Alright Ian.....👍..... I totally agree with your comments and thank you for them...👍...... I got to say I do have issues with dogs off the lead....so many times dogs have come charging over to me barking....the owner far far away trying to tell me it doesn’t bite.....
You make a good point though regarding the signs deterring people of whom the countryside is wasted on..... Thanks again Ian....👍👍👍
I actually don't agree that landowners should keep dangerous livestock in fields with public access. Sheep ok. But not cows or horses. People only put them There to scare strangers from using the footpath. There should be clear paths through fields and animals fenced in.
Well, farmers generally don’t put dangerous livestock out to harm anyone. They can be done legally for that. Very often, people who don’t live in the country perceive things like cows to be dangerous rather than they ‘actually’ are dangerous. Anything dangerous shouldn’t be in a field with public access because there would be serious legal trouble.
I would have ripped it down mate , hate it when people do that . I was surprised there was no bulls in said fields !! atb Dave
Haha yeah it’s a different sign every time I go up there.... so I think someone is doing exactly that...👍👍👍..... and yes usually them fields are full of cattle... Thanks for watching buddy and for commenting 👍👍👍
sign in a field with a huge ugly bull standing behind. this field is 120 yards wide. the bull can run the width in 13 seconds. CAN YOU?
Annoying to see farmers doing this, a lot block the entrance to public pathways in the countryside with trailers or felled tree trunks.
I was half expecting you to be stopped haha.
Looks a nice route does that though Robert, it’s a shame that those who are not clued up on public right of ways and the law would miss out on this walk and be scared off from those signs.
Great vlog as always mate 👍🏻.
Thanks for watching Jake....
If a land owner puts up signage in an attempt to prevent access to a public right of way, report them! I am a regular user of ROWs and always will be.
Totally agree 👍…. Hey thanks for taking the time to comment… Appreciated…
Update from a Peak & Northern colleague who lives locally. Kirklees Council have published a second Order to downgrade the byway(no.231) through the farm to a bridleway. It has been objected to. The footpath across the fields you walked (no.233) has also been threatened by closure as the farmer's legal advisor has applied to Kirklees Council to get rid of it on the grounds that it never was public in the first place.
Good to see you Robert your back garden always amazes me so BEAUTIFUL is Yorkshire Countryside take care Dean X
Cheers Dean 👍👍👍
Thank you Rob. I’m sure you know that we could lose thousands of historical footpaths by 2026 if we don’t all work together to identify them and register them. The Ramblers association have a campaign to raise £150k to help fund the identification of them. Check it out. Over £80k raised so far. We can do this! Maxine
Would have liked to have seen your whole circle route on the map and not just the part over the farmer's field.
www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/route/6969020/delves-wood
It really depresses me that this dreadful conflict between those wishing to enjoy walking in our beautiful countryside and those who just do not wish them to walk through their gardens or over land which was paid for and bought as private property having no public right of way.
There is no willingness to even appreciate that this problem exists.
You correctly state that “It is important to understand if it is private land”. You incorrectly state that an OS map with green track dashes shows an indisputable PROW. An OS map actually has a written disclaimer to say that it doesn’t. If there is a dispute ( obvious by a No Public Right of Way sign) then you must go and check on the definitive map before assuming anything.
You also state that If it is private land you are respectful of it
and that if you bought some land with no PROW over it you wouldn’t want anyone walking through it just whenever they pleased. Can I presume, here, that the Ramblers haven’t found an historic map from 1886 showing a track through YOUR OWN garden? Do put your own postcode in and find out if you or your neighbours are affected because,please believe me many of the 49,000 miles of already marked ‘potential ‘claims ARE going to affect quite a few more people’s ordinary homes and gardens! AND it’s going to come as quite a surprise!
Unwittingly you have hit the nail on the head by saying that you wouldn’t like people walking over your own private property if you’d bought it with no PROW, because that is exactly the position those facing Historic Claims through their gardens and homes have found themselves in.
The properties WERE bought and paid for with someone’s hard earned cash, they DID have all the usual searches showing NO PUBLIC Rights of Way,they are NOT on the definitive map despite what the OS maps record.
Further more if you become aware that people are using a private track over your land you are obliged by law to put up a sign indicating that the land is private otherwise in any subsequent inquiry you will be deemed to have ‘dedicated’ your land.
In your video You also hoped that the farmer would come out and argue with you and allude to how ‘satisfying’ it was to ignore his signs. Had you not even considered that the farmer may well be right and that you are wrong? Perhaps there is going to be a public inquiry, a judicial inquiry or even a high court judgement……….but no…..you’ve decided already……it’s on the OS map, I’m right the farmer is wrong. Even if you were correct in this case you should not be misleading ordinary walkers into thinking that ALL No Rights of Way Signs can be ignored on the basis of an OS map only.
I hope that perhaps you will do further research into the TRUE picture of a currently ‘scatter gun’ approach to PROW and come to realise and appreciate that there is a whole other side to the problem.
Hi Ann …. And thanks for taking the time to comment and watch this video…. Looking at all the comments on this vlog i can see that the subject is without clarity…. And i know you will agree that videos like mine raise awareness to a complex issue … I represent your average walker… rambler…. And its great to read the comments from the experts … What do i take from this ?…. It a right can of worms ha…. I will continue to be respectful and stick to the path…. As i did in this video…… Thanks once again for taking an interest …👍👍👍👍
This one is on the definitive map.
if it was a right of way for a motor vehicle would you be as pro "use it or lose it " or is it just for the ramblers, we had hundred's of miles of green lanes which the ramblers have closed !!!! but i don't suppose that fits with the rhetoric of this one sided vlog
Ey up thanks for watching…. Brilliant comments…. Its not all about ramblers…. For me its about right of way…. And people pretending that we don’t have right of way…. All the rights of way should be kept that way….
It was just an impulse vlog of my personal feelings having seen the sign…. And i have learned a lot from the comments…. Yours included….. So i thank you again 👍👍👍
@@RobertJohnKerrUK What a fantastic attitude I feel the exact same way, keep it up fella I will be watching more of your vlogs, thank you
im looking at maps with public footpaths and I have 2 big dogs and love taking them to fields and wooded areas and water and where I go I find public footpaths over grown and in one field I went to there was a climb over fence style and couldn't get my dogs over or through fence I was not happy about it. I prefer the gates any day. I went in one field and came across a wooden bridge that had public footpath sign and it had ben blocked off with wood for some reason. I didn't know u had to stick to the public footpath. I ended up thinking how do I get out of this field I assume through this farm with cows and I nearly got out and was confronted by old woman at window saying I shouldn't be there use gone the wrong way and a guy came out too. they came out a bit snobby and aggressive. I now will wear my GoPro chest mounted. I hate interaction with other dogs and owners so I go places that are open. I love to let my 2 big dogs off the lead as they need to be. I couldn't see my self having 2 big dogs on lead for ages going through field following a footpath. I camped in a farmers field once that was just grass and I had my 2 dogs and some man in distance staring at me so I tied my dogs up to fence and went to him and he had a shotgun and he said the farmer won't be happy ur camping here. I said I aint moving ive come a way and halfway done already and if farmers got a problem he can speak to me or get police and then I walked back to my tent and he went away. I was only staying 1 night wild camping with my dogs and wanted to enjoy the moment and he came and tried to destroy my moment. there's a field near me that has horses and like 4 sections of fields to run in and what annoys me is at the start on the gate should have a flipping sign that says horses in field or cattle or so. one time I had my dogs off and out of no where there was horses popped up and my female French mastiff was jumping up the side of the horse and horse nearly kicking her and I shouted her loud as and said get here now!!!! she came to me and I got both my dogs on the lead and left and the horses were following me and my dogs but didn't do anything the beautiful creatures. we see cows too but my dogs have never got that close to cows. its amazed me how many footpaths there are on footpath-map.co.uk I wish the council would sort the overgrown pathways. I feel like taking tools and doing it my self but I don't want to get stopped by police and have to explain my self.
Yeah brilliant comment thank you… FYI… Dogs must be on a leash at all times in UK 🇬🇧… Wild camping ⛺️ is illegal as all land is owned in UK 🇬🇧…. Stop breaking the law… 🤣😂🤣😂🤣…… Im kidding 😂🤣😂🤣😂…. But seriously though….. Stop breaking the law ….hahahaha….
I appreciate you taking the time to comment 👍👍👍
@@RobertJohnKerrUK I know im bad im sorry honestly I do respect the fields and walk ways and farms. one farm I went to I was in a field and off the pathway obviously and seen a hole and inside was a big wasps nest and I shouted my dogs to get away. I went and seen it a few times but now I lost location where it was. idk if it would have helped if I told the farmer. maybe he put cows in there and they get stung lol it wouldn't be nice. cows are lovely.