The Countryside Code is a set of guidelines published by Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales. It exists to help walkers and visitors enjoy the countryside responsibly while protecting the environment and respecting the livelihoods of those who live and work there.
If you walk regularly in England or Wales, the Code is something you should know. Most experienced walkers follow its principles instinctively, but if you are newer to countryside walking, it is worth reading through properly. It is not long, and the reasoning behind each guideline is straightforward once you understand the context.
The Core Principles
The Countryside Code organises its guidance into three areas: respecting other people, protecting the natural environment, and enjoying the outdoors responsibly.
Respect Other People
Leave gates and property as you find them. If a gate was closed when you arrived, close it behind you. If it was open, leave it open. Farm gates are usually in a particular state for a reason: a closed gate keeps livestock in, an open gate may be providing access to water or pasture. Changing this without knowing the context can cause real problems for farmers.
Follow paths unless wider access is available. Public rights of way are clearly defined routes. Straying off them onto adjacent land crosses from legal access into trespass, even if the land looks unused.
Leave no trace of your visit. Take all litter with you, including food waste. Fruit cores and orange peel are often left on the grounds that they are biodegradable, but they take considerably longer to decompose than most people assume and attract wildlife to paths in ways that can be problematic.
Keep noise to a minimum in quiet areas. This is particularly relevant on upland paths and in areas where wildlife conservation is a priority.
Protect the Natural Environment
Do not pick, uproot, or damage plants, rocks, or historical features. This applies to everything from wildflowers to dry stone walls. Many upland areas are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), where interference with the environment can be a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Avoid damaging crops or farm equipment. Walk around the edge of fields if crops are growing, even if a right of way passes through the centre. The path legally exists but the practical convention is to avoid crop damage.
Consider whether you might be spreading disease or invasive species. Phytophthora ramorum, which kills larch trees, has been spread partly by walkers carrying contaminated soil on their boots. In areas of known disease risk, clean your boots before and after walking.
Be responsible around fire. Do not light open fires in dry conditions. In Scotland, open fires are part of wild camping culture but come with specific responsibilities around site selection and extinguishing. In England and Wales, open fires on land you do not own or have explicit permission for are generally not appropriate.
Enjoy the Outdoors Responsibly
Be prepared for conditions. Know where you are going, tell someone your plan, carry appropriate kit for the terrain and weather. The Mountain Rescue services in the UK are volunteer-operated. Poor preparation that leads to an unnecessary callout is a real cost to real people.
Follow local signs and advice. Temporary closures for lambing season, nesting, or land management are posted for good reasons. Respecting them protects both the environment and your legal standing on the land.
How It Differs from Scotland
Scotland’s outdoor access framework is fundamentally different. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 created a statutory right of access to most land and inland water in Scotland. This means wild camping, walking across farmland, and exploring land is legally permitted provided you exercise it responsibly under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
The Scottish Code emphasises the same core values as the English Countryside Code: respect for the environment, responsibility for your own safety, and consideration for land managers and other users. But the legal starting point is different. In England and Wales, access is limited to defined rights of way and open access land. In Scotland, access is broad and the responsibility is on you to exercise it well.
The Code in Practice
Most of the Countryside Code becomes second nature quickly. The parts that trip up newer walkers are usually:
Gate behaviour. The rule is simple: leave as found. The common mistake is closing all gates on the assumption that closed is safe.
Dog control near livestock. Even a friendly, well-trained dog can panic sheep. Keep your dog on a lead around all livestock, not just when it looks nervous.
Litter. Pack out everything. If you carried it in full, you can carry it out empty.
Path discipline. On upland paths, spread-out walking erodes the edges and widens the path. Walk single file on established routes where the ground is fragile.
None of this is difficult. The Countryside Code exists not because walkers are malicious but because small, repeated actions from large numbers of people have cumulative effects. Following it costs nothing and protects access for everyone.