Rights of Way FAQs (England and Wales only)

Rights of Way Basics

• What is a right of way?
• What are my rights on a public right of way?
• How do I know whether a path is a public right of way or not?
• What is a permissive path?
• How does a path become a public right of way?
• How wide should a path be?

Obstructions and Maintenance

• ★ What should I do if I find a blocked/obstructed path?
• Can I remove an obstruction to get by?
• I have reported an obstruction to the council, but they are saying they can’t do anything about it due to lack of money/resources. What can I do now?
• What does the law say regarding shooting near a right of way?

Claiming an un-recorded right of way

• How do I apply to have a path added to the definitive map?

Don't Lose Your Way

• ★ Do the Ramblers want to save every lost right of way?
• ★ What happens after I find a lost path?
• Can I see a detailed map of the lost rights of way which have been found?
• Have you identified all lost rights of way?
• How did you identify all these potential lost paths?
• What happens next with the Don't Lose Your Way project?

See all 18 articles

Ploughing and Cropping

• A footpath has been ploughed up/has crops growing out of it making it difficult to use – what can I do about it?

Consultations

• ★ There is a proposal which I want the Ramblers to object to. How do I go about this?

Landowners

• I’ve seen a copy of a landowner deposit under Section 31 (6) of the Highways Act 1980. What is this?
• A landowner/farmer shouted at me for walking on his land – is this allowed?

Animals and rights of way

• Is my dog allowed to be off his lead on a right of way?
• There was an aggressive dog on a footpath, it was tethered but my children were too frightened to walk past – is this allowed?
• I was recently chased by cows. Are you allowed to keep cows in a field which the public have access to?
• Can landowners keep bulls in fields where there is a right of way?

Cycling, Horse riding and Driving

• Motor vehicles are destroying the surface of the path – what can be done about it?
• Are you allowed to cycle/ride a horse/drive on a footpath?

Barbed Wire and Electric Fences

• Barbed wire is placed across the top of a stile – is this allowed?
• Barbed wire/ an electric fence is very close to the footpath – is this allowed?

Bridges

• A footbridge has been damaged and it’s now unsafe – what can I do about it?”

Gates and Stiles

• A farmer has recently blocked up a gap in a stile and now my dog can not pass through.

Signs and Waymarks

• Someone has placed a threatening/misleading sign on a public footpath – what can I do about it?
• There is poor signage along a route making it difficult to follow the path – what can I do to improve the signage along a right of way?