Field crossing etiquette

[Easytigers]

Just been out to walk the boy (daily PE lesson done!) and we walked the outskirts of the village and out around a couple of fields. There was a clear path that was extremely well trodden but it got me thinking to what the actual rules and etiquette of crossing fields are??? I know some are clearly marked as footpaths but are you allowed to cross farmers' fields if there is a clear path that doesn't have a footpath sign?

 

[Drago]

If it's a right of way, cross it, whether it's a clear path or the farmer has ploughed it up.

If it's not a right of way, don't, even if it's a clearly defined path.

The salt of the earth ruddy faced farmer types get upset enough when you use a legitimate footpath, but they become positively apoplectic if you tread where you shouldn't.

 

[figbat]

I recently came across a field that had been ploughed over with no obvious sign of the bridlepath that went across it. I was minded to ride across the field anyway, as the right-of-way was a straight line and I could see the point on the other side of the field where it ended. However the surface was freshly-ploughed mud and I couldn't face it clagging up my tyres - besides there was a longer but none too arduous alternative route via road.

Farmers are allowed to plough over rights of way if it is not reasonably possible to avoid it, but they must, within 14 days, reinstate the right of way and ensure it stays reinstated. For a bridlepath, that is a minimum of 2m width which must not have crops growing on it. The field above looked freshly-ploughed so I haven't reported it (yet).

Another local field has been ploughed and planted and has rape growing in it - the bridlepath across it has been marked but is nowhere near 2m wide and the underlying surface is basically just ploughed field. I have reported that one.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Unless it’s on a right of way, stay out of their fields.

 

[Drago]

It's very easy to avoid ploughing footpaths and bridleways. Unfortunately, it takes a slight degree of time and effort, and farmers can't tell the difference between a bit of effort to achieve and being completely unavoidable.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Takes more time to restore rather than avoid.