There are rules which, in my opinion, could be stricter, but I'm a hard woman to please. I love the countryside with a passion and want to protect it, and I'm sure the visitors who grace its environment are lovers of the countryside, too. People spend money in the countryside; apart from farming, tourism is a massive industry that keeps people in work and assists in giving holiday makers a memorable time. The area in which I live is no exception. We rely heavily on the tourism industry to help our economy and it's wonderful to see people enjoying the fresh air and the surrounding area, watching children have a fabulous time and seeing dogs being given their much needed exercise.
All we ask in return is that people respect that this is our home. The sheep in our fields are our livelihood. The fields are serving a purpose. Enjoy your visit to the countryside and remember that we love having you. But please spare a thought for your dogs off lead and your free-roaming children, because believe me, a ewe with lambs will not.
Oh, and don't forget to close the gates.
Very important post Kathryn. Also would like to point out that people visiting my part of Northumberland need to be careful too. Farmers around Hadrian's Wall have cattle grazing out in the fields at this time of year and a field of young hefers can get frisky and potentially dangerous. Keep dogs on leads, stick to paths and use common sense. The rules are there for a reason. Your safety and the farmer's livelihood!
ReplyDeleteCattle can be vicious like sheep, but I'd rather be butted by a sheep than a cow or bull. Unfortunately, I have found that common sense goes out the window when people are on holiday!
Deletenice..yeah, leave only footprints when you venture out, no one wants a bad memory attached to the visit...
ReplyDeleteExactly, Brian. People want to enjoy themselves not find themselves at vets and hospitals because of their careless attitudes.
DeleteWell said! You're not like a broken record, this is stuff that, unfortunately, has to be repeated for some people; they seem to think that rules apply only to other people! Whether it's keeping their dog on a lead, not littering, not walking in private areas, they just stamp all over the rules with zero respect for how it affects others. Arrgh! Drives me mad!
ReplyDeleteSo I fully support you every time you (re)state the obvious, in the hope it might someday get through to those who don't give a damn!
You're right; there are many people who use the countryside like it's a giant playground and have no respect for the people who actually live and work there.
DeleteI walk miles of paths, some well kept, some impossible, some gates are impossible to open, some styles are broken and dangerous. I sometimes wonder if the farmers leave them in disrepair to discourage walkers. I can see it would work for families! I tend to plan my routes to avoid livestock at certain times of the year. I won't go through fields with young cows, calves, big bulls etc. I was chased out of a field by a ram once, that was scary but I tend not to stress about the ewes and lambs. If mum starts shouting for her babies I'll stand still until she is happy again then walk on. Should I be more careful of the ewes too? I don't take the dogs in fields with livestock at all, let alone off the lead. I've taught my daughter the country code too. But we don't get tourists here. The people walking are locals as well, and tend to be regulars. I always like to think the farmer won't mind too much as I am also watching for strangers, criminals etc. but maybe it's a typical rambler attitude and really it would be better to aways walk canals, old railways etc.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually quite expensive to mend fences and it can become one of those chores that a farmer just doesn't have time to do. it's also the case that people climb over gates when they could just open them normally, and they don't realise that every person that climbs that gate is weakening it. Then the farmer has to fork out money to repair it.
DeleteVery sound advice. I always close gates and doors. Wish everyone did the same. Dogs off the lead must be a problem.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you have this new disease from abroad that affects unborn sheep and cattle? I hope not but it has reached our way and has come from the Continent. Must be heartbreaking.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
Fortunately, Maggie, we haven't been affected with the horrific disease. It doesn't seem to have traveled this far up the country.
DeleteAh, another difference between the U.S., (well, at least Minnesota) and Northumberland, farms here are all fenced, and it would be considered trespassing to be inside that fenced field. I would never consider being in someones field, especially if there were animals in it.
ReplyDeleteSo you have walking paths through privately owned fields?
In some of our fields, it is considered trespassing but unfortunately a couple have rights of way. it's a damn nuisance to us as farmers and land keepers but we have no choice. However, we have told people who we've found walking their dogs through some of our corn fields that are (quite obviously) prohibited and private property.
DeleteMe again...is that your land in the picture up top?
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful, just what I would like.
:-)
Yes, it is a view from one of our fields looking towards the house.
Delete"families with young children and dogs OFF LEAD wandering through our fields full of livestock."
ReplyDelete?!!!! For real? You sound like you are handling this much better than I would. People seriously open your gate and walk in? Perhaps I'm fussy because in the U.S., this is considered trespassing. But man, I think I'd freak out about this.
Yes, for real. Unbelievably stupid isn't it. our laws should definitely be more strict when it comes to entering onto someone's lands. A right to shoot would go a long way though it may not always solve the problem!!
DeleteI love the countryside and walking and absolutely believe that where there are public rights of way across farms (even across livestock fields) then they should remain open. Thank you for keeping yours open so people like me can enjoy the great outdoors.
ReplyDeleteBut I totally agree. When going through fields with livestock, dogs should absolutely be on the lead (and children under control). Anyone with a basic grasp of common sense should realise that. Some people just have no clue.
It's really not that difficult - stay on the path, keep dogs on lead, close gates behind you, don't touch (or feed) the animals), take your litter home...
Unfortunately, I'm going to sound rather horrid now but if I had the choice, I'd make all my fields closed. People think nothing of letting their dogs run wild and even though I am a lover of seeing dogs running free, to see them running free through my livestock is totally disrespecting our way of life.
DeleteTotally agree. We also have footpaths through our land, and we're always finding people disrespecting the land and animals. If something happened these people would be blaming the farmers not themselves.
ReplyDeleteYes they would blame the farmers and there lies the problem so far as the law is concerned. If a farmer thinks a dog is worrying or has attacked their sheep, he/she has a right to shoot it. If people insist on walking their dogs off leads through livestock fields, then they should understand this law.
DeleteDogs off the lead in fields full of sheep? Wow. I'd be furious!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Talli, I'm pretty angry myself!
DeleteAs a walker myself it really annoys me when people don't stick to the Country Code because we could lose the right to walk along these paths. Is it really so much to ask for people to respect others' land and livelihoods? Keeping dogs away from livestock, closing gates and taking litter home is not that hard.
ReplyDeleteLast year I did a walk where the farmer did not allow right of way along 100 yards of his driveway, instead you had to turn off his driveway, walk about 300yds round a field and then cross the driveway 100 yards futher up, sounds mad, but it was his land so we did as the right of way said and walked all the way around his field. If not, we might not have been able to do that walk at all.
It's all about respecting each others' rights.
You're right, when people disrespect the countryside code, it doesn't help when it comes to farmers (like myself) being happy for them to walk through the fields. At the end of the day, the farmer you talk about had every right to do what he did and I admire you for accepting his rule. Many people wouldn't have done. We've caught people walking along our driveway before now, and it is so obviously private - it's gated and fenced off yet they've still done it.
DeleteIt;s utter madness when people don't respect things makes me cross.
ReplyDelete