Access in Ayrshire

The new access legislation, which hopefully everyone will know about, is over a year old now and gives riders and carriage drivers the right of non-motorised responsible access to most land, which includes moorland, forests, farmland and even open spaces in towns.

 

It does not, however apply everywhere, for example Eglinton Park, which has always operated a paid permit system.  The staff at Eglinton Park are improving the paths and tracks all the time, and are at the moment fencing off new canter tracks for us.  It’s a great place to exercise safely and for £20 per year gives the opportunity for many of us to fitten our horses off the roads.  Indeed, locals are blessed with the both the Park and the beach so close.  Access rights don’t apply where there are crops growing and you should not enter fields where there are grazing animals which might be a danger or in danger.  Leave gates as you find them. 

 

South Ayrshire Council starts their core path planning consultation roadshows from the 18th April to 8th May throughout their area.  All riders who are interested should go along to one of the meetings, look at the maps and give their ideas on where they would like to ride or to drive.  Let the staff know where you ride at the moment, would like to ride but can’t due to locked gates, a stile instead of a horse friendly gate, etc, and also where you would like to ride but can’t get to.  It’s every rider’s opportunity to be heard and the council can then look at providing multi-use paths on which horses can safely and responsibly take access.  Otherwise paths could be built which are unsuitable for horse access and by then it will be too late.  If you would like any further information on the roadshows please contact David Gray – Outdoor Access Officer at South Ayrshire Council on 01292 616649 or Pat Somerville - BHS Access Officer on 01294 270891.  It should be on the website shortly www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/outdooraccess.

 

With our right to access paths and tracks on which others walk, cycle, push prams or use disabled motorised wheelchairs there comes with it the responsibility to be thoughtful to these other users.  If your horse dungs, don’t leave it in the middle of a path where someone might step in it, please consider the visually impaired and those going along paths in the gloaming or in the darkness, those who cannot avoid the piles.  Most of us know when our horse is going to go, so please either move it to the side of the path or get off and kick it to the side.  This is a problem that will escalate if we don’t want letters in the local papers in Ayrshire, its already happening elsewhere in the country.  We already have the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003, we don’t want the same for our horses.  Many of us use the carparks at Irvine beach to unload and load our horses.  It has been brought to the notice of the council that some irresponsible riders have been mucking out their trailers and horseboxes and leaving piles in the carparks for the council workers to clean up.  Once again please think of others, a few riders are giving the rest of us a bad name.

 

The BHS in Scotland is starting to log rides that we think others would like to enjoy too. We are calling it ‘Park and Ride’, although there will be no trains involved – promise!  Over the next few months we hope to include some details on the BHS website of rides, including maps of the ride itself, terrain and surface types, car parking facilities, eg is it suitable for a lorry or can you turn a trailer in it, even if there are loos nearby!

 

For anyone who wishes to take access in the countryside and who has not read the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, please call 01738 458545 for a free copy.  A few details have been included in this article but there is a lot more to understand, so “Know the Code before you go”.  Copies of the “Are You Riding Responsibly” leaflet can be obtained by sending an SAE to Mrs Pat Somerville, The Loaning, Auchengate, Irvine, KA11 5BH or downloaded from www.bhsscotland.org.uk