Access
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code
The Statutory right of responsible access commenced on 9 February 2005.
Scottish Natural Heritage has produced and distributed 20,000 copies of the document to interested organisations. A summary leaflet (available in English and Gaelic) has also been produced.
You can obtain a free copy of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code from Scottish Natural Heritage. We have also produced a summary leaflet, as well as read the code on-line or visit Outdooraccess-scotland.com to find out more
Background
On 1 July 2004 the Scottish
Outdoor Access Code 
(316kb)
was approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament, having received
Ministerial approval, with modifications, in May. The
Access Code will provide guidance on responsible behaviour for recreational
users, and on responsible land management in relation to the new rights.
SNH has a statutory duty to prepare and issue the Code, and to publicise
and promote understanding of it.
The Access Code presented to Parliament on 1 June included a number
of changes
(60kb)made
by Ministers to the Proposed Scottish Outdoor Access Code prepared by
SNH in January 2004. SNH is now working towards a promotional campaign
over the summer and publishing of the Code in preparation for the launch
of access rights in late autumn. This work is part of SNH’s ongoing
comprehensive education programme to promote responsible behaviour to
those exercising access and those managing land and inland water.
For reference, the outcome of SNH’s consultation between March
and June 2003 on a draft Code was the Proposed
Scottish Outdoor Access Code
(745kb) which was submitted to Ministers accompanied by three supporting
reports:
- Report
1 (291kb)
on the consultation and analysis process
- Report
2 (1.4Mb)
recommendations and conclusions drawn from the analysis of representations
made
- Report
3 (304kb)
wider issues raised during the consultation on the draft Code that relate
to implementation of the access legislation
A short Summary
Report on the outcome of the consultation (174kb)
was also produced.
The Scottish
Outdoor Access Code consultation document (1.8Mb)
can also be downloaded from this site (for reference only).