Access rights in the UK
The UK is not one country when it comes to access law — it is four. Whether you can lawfully leave the path, pitch a tent or let the dog run depends on which side of a line on the map you are standing. Here is the whole picture, nation by nation.
The four regimes at a glance
| Nation | Right to roam | Paths network | Wild camping | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Yes Statutory right of responsible access to most land and inland water | Core paths plus the general access right | Yes Wild camping is broadly lawful under the 2003 Act | Covered by the access right if under proper control; short lead on moorland April–July. |
| England | Conditional Right to roam only on mapped CRoW open access land | Public rights of way recorded on definitive maps | Conditional Permission needed — except on the Dartmoor commons | Lead of 2 m or less on access land 1 March – 31 July, and always near livestock. |
| Wales | Conditional Right to roam only on mapped CRoW open access land | Public rights of way recorded on definitive maps | Permission needed Permission needed everywhere | Short lead on access land 1 March – 31 July, and always near livestock. |
| Northern Ireland | Permission needed No general right to roam | Very few recorded rights of way; mostly permissive routes | Permission needed Permission needed everywhere | Landowner sets the rules — leads usually required; some routes exclude dogs. |
Each nation links to a full breakdown: the law behind the headline, seasonal restrictions, dog rules and key legislation. These summaries are general information, not legal advice — local byelaws and restrictions can override the general position.
Wild camping: where it is actually legal
Scotland's access right, the Dartmoor commons ruling, Loch Lomond's permit zones — and how asking permission works everywhere else.
ToolAccess checker
Enter a grid reference or coordinates and see which nation's access law — and which national park rules — apply at that point.
TrackerWhat has changed, and what is unsettled
Recent rulings, the questions still genuinely open, and a month-by-month calendar of the seasonal restrictions across all four nations.
The law is moving — we track it
Access law in Britain is not settled history; two of its biggest questions have moved recently, and one is still in motion.
In Darwall v Dartmoor National Park Authority [2025] UKSC 20, decided on 21 May 2025, the Supreme Court unanimously confirmed that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 gives the public a right to backpack camp on the Dartmoor commons. That makes the commons the only place in England where you can wild camp as of right — the full story is in our wild-camping guide.
Thousands of miles of historic paths in England and Wales are missing from the definitive maps, and the statute book still sets 1 January 2031 as the cut-off for registering them. In December 2024 the Government committed to repealing the deadline entirely — but as of August 2026 that repeal has not been enacted, so the 2031 date remains law until legislation passes. We update the nation pages as the position changes; each one carries a last-reviewed date.