Thre is, of course, the school of thought than land "owners" are simply stewards looking after the land for future generations, and paying for the "privilege "
Right to roam
- Thread starter BenBhoy
- Start date
There are no property taxes on agricultural, forestry or "conservation" land. The similar tax is the Scottish Snazi's attempt to impose rates on Sporting use.
There is some truth in that, insofar as all property owners in the UK are actually tenants of the crown. Hence why the word "tenant" not "owner" is used in title deeds etc to describe the way in which a property is held
Mountain Bug
Well-Known Member
Yes we do, and I believe property taxation is theft. I do however have control of access and can forcibly remove trespassers if necessary.
Scott
Mountain Bug
Well-Known Member
I don't disagree that I'm a steward of the land and should leave it in better shape than I found it. This does beg the question of who actually owns it if I'm just paying for that privilege.
Scott
Mountain Bug
Well-Known Member
This is refreshing to hear. Learning something new each day and all that. We pay tax on all land but do have some discounts for ag land if its use can be proven with receipts of ag income. Might be other discounts that I'm unaware of.
Scott
I own a very small piece of woodland, and I'm quite happy for anyone to have a wander through it. I wouldn't be feeling too charitable towards anyone that is disrespectful of the countryside though.
Thanks to the generosity of others ( mainly farmers), I've been enjoying woodland for most of my life , with shooting and fishing , so it would be a bit childish of me to deny others the pleasure of spending a bit of time outdoors.
Thanks to the generosity of others ( mainly farmers), I've been enjoying woodland for most of my life , with shooting and fishing , so it would be a bit childish of me to deny others the pleasure of spending a bit of time outdoors.
Mountain Bug
Well-Known Member
Rake Aboot
Well-Known Member
I completely support the right to roam and the quicker the rest of the UK gets it the better.
How conceited to say “only me” should be allowed to experience the countryside.
Private land owners excluded the people is a thing of the past.
How conceited to say “only me” should be allowed to experience the countryside.
Private land owners excluded the people is a thing of the past.
I'd support it too if the majority of folk would follow the countryside code !
But our experience of farm and stalking and pest control on outskirts of town is that majority do not !
And farmer land owner has his own problems with it ...and again because majority dont follow the countryside code and think they csn do whst damn want
This is the problem.
Most of us here are well aware of how we should behave in the great outdoors, and are respectful of others land and property, but some people just aren't , and really don't care .
Smallholder
Well-Known Member
As an owner of a couple of small pieces of woodland it constantly saddens me how little people care for the environment, especially councils and other government agencies. Perhaps I've been unfortunate but most people seem to view it as a dumping ground and have no idea about conservation etc. Just looking at the local forestry commission open access land and anywhere near parking is basically a dog toilet.
Having said that I'd be less against the idea if the government provided a fund for land owners to use to cover stuff such as clearing litter, clearing fly tipping, covering damage etc.
Having said that I'd be less against the idea if the government provided a fund for land owners to use to cover stuff such as clearing litter, clearing fly tipping, covering damage etc.
The innocent dog owner isnt an issue in my opinion, its the campers that have destroyed the trust of land owners i know of two locations that have blocked all parking because of aresholes getting away with goalie and putting themselves in danger, Gladhouse reservoir used to be a lovely spot for a fish and a picnic, police are never away from it now over the weekends in summer months.
The Meldons was another area that when kids everyone had a picnic play in the burn and left the place as they found it, nowadays it wasn't uncommon for people to bring marquees, generators, dj equipment and speakers, people absolutely away with it leaving a trail of destruction.
On the stalking front I regularly meet dog walkers and either just move off without them knowing or say good morning, there was a couple locally that had a unsociable dog and they avoided everyone by walking at the crack of dawn in all the bits they wouldn't meet anyone, yes the bits that were most productive for deer, smile and wave
The Meldons was another area that when kids everyone had a picnic play in the burn and left the place as they found it, nowadays it wasn't uncommon for people to bring marquees, generators, dj equipment and speakers, people absolutely away with it leaving a trail of destruction.
On the stalking front I regularly meet dog walkers and either just move off without them knowing or say good morning, there was a couple locally that had a unsociable dog and they avoided everyone by walking at the crack of dawn in all the bits they wouldn't meet anyone, yes the bits that were most productive for deer, smile and wave
The Meldon's is part of the farm I grew up on, my dad was the tenant farmer. I remember well in the late 60' s and 70's when it was absolutely heaving with families enjoying a picnic on a weekend afternoon. It got so busy that there was even a toilet block built.The innocent dog owner isnt an issue in my opinion, its the campers that have destroyed the trust of land owners i know of two locations that have blocked all parking because of aresholes getting away with goalie and putting themselves in danger, Gladhouse reservoir used to be a lovely spot for a fish and a picnic, police are never away from it now over the weekends in summer months.
The Meldons was another area that when kids everyone had a picnic play in the burn and left the place as they found it, nowadays it wasn't uncommon for people to bring marquees, generators, dj equipment and speakers, people absolutely away with it leaving a trail of destruction.
On the stalking front I regularly meet dog walkers and either just move off without them knowing or say good morning, there was a couple locally that had a unsociable dog and they avoided everyone by walking at the crack of dawn in all the bits they wouldn't meet anyone, yes the bits that were most productive for deer, smile and wave
By the early 2000's and later, when my bother was farming it, it started to become a no-go .area. It started with boy racers churning up the place and progressed to "camps" of vans, and tents, with a smattering of off road bikes thrown in for good measure. they brought trailer loads of junk wood and pallets for bonfires and ripped out fenceposts to burn when fuel got low. If you approached the groups you daren't get out the vehicle.
I now stalk in the commercial forestry adjacent and on a summers morning you can hear music blaring at 4 a.m. and often get off road bikes a little later . Driving home down the public road you need to dodge drunks.
I once reported the mess of abandoned tents and rubbish, along with a reg number - the Police followed it up and the guys came back and tidied it up with a transit pick-up. They then dumped it in a farm entrance 2 miles away.
Rake Aboot
Well-Known Member
I do still have a chuckle at how folk think the countryside belongs to them and there Ilk exclusively.
The days of telling someone where they can walk are long gone and the sooner that’s reflected in law the better
The days of telling someone where they can walk are long gone and the sooner that’s reflected in law the better
Very similar to Roslin Glen now, the little bit of deer management i still do down there you have to have yer witts about ye, you do not want to come face to face with drugged up teenagers while carrying a rifle and a dead deer.
In the Summer the Glen is like a woodland disco tech eith various groups scattered all over.
Then you have Rock climbers that think their right to access allows them to clear away ancient woods so they can get easier access to destroy ancient habitat, has to get RSPB involved with people climbing near peregrine nest deliberately i dont know but they wouldn't be told.
You're going to have to define "countryside".
How big does someone's back garden have to be, before it should be open to the public?
And what about land that's used for growing food crops? Shouldn't it be a requirement to stick to footpaths on enclosed or cultivated land, as at present?
Or are you more specifically referring to unenclosed mountain, moorland, heaths and downs in your definition of "countryside"?
And where exactly does the "countryside" begin and end? Is it marked on a map?
You make an interesting point here which not many people know/understand.
The doctrine of tenure (this is the point you made about the Crown owning land as part of the old feudal system) is an interesting concept and, as you correctly state, still applies today to a certain extent.
Here’s a Sunday morning fact for you/anyone else reading that owns a freehold piece of land… if you die with no will and no heirs to whom the property could pass to under intestate, lawful possession passes to the Crown and the Treasury sell it off to the highest bidder!
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