Scottish Access Resources and Riding Routes

HORSE SENSE: Equestrian access in Scotland

Scottish access rights apply to most land and inland water. Whether you’re enjoying the fresh air in a local park, walking the dog, hillwalking, mountain biking, horse riding or kayaking you need to know about your access rights and responsibilities. Scotland’s outdoors is managed by a variety of organisations and BHS Scotland carries out this task on behalf horse riders by providing an advocacy service and sitting on the National Access Forum.

Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, horse riders and carriage drivers enjoy equal rights of access as walkers, cyclists and other non-motorised users to most land and inland water, day or night, provided that they exercise their rights responsibly. Land managers in turn are obliged to respect equestrian access rights and take proper account of the right of responsible access in managing their land.

There is funding available in Scotland for a variety of access projects , see our Access Funding Guide Scotland.

Access Resources Scotland: 

• HORSE SENSE: Equestrian access in Scotland  

• Equestrian Access Groups Scotland 
  
  
• Be Nice Say Hi 

• Stallions in Scotland      

• Cattle Grids in Scotland

• Dealing with Confrontation

• Dealing with Equestrian Access Problems

• Equestrian use of Level Crossings

• Working with Farmers & Landowners

• Access & Livestock
  
  
• Access Rights & Responsibilities
  
  
• Access through Wind Farms
  
  
• Finding Places to Ride & Drive
  
  
• Responsible Commercial Equestrian Access
  
  
• Riding and Carriage Driving through Woods & Forestry  

• Guidance for riders and carriage drivers in responding to forest and woodland plans  
  
  
• Summary guidance on managing woodland and forestry access
  

• Riding on Beaches
  
  
• Riding on Cropped Land
  
  
• Riding on Mountains, Hills & Moorland
  
  
• Rights of Way & Equestrian Access
  
  
• Safeguarding & Improving Equestrian Access
  
  
• Shared & Single use Paths 

• Where you can Ride or Drive a Horse 
   
• Horse Riding in Scotland 
   
• Camping with horses in Scotland  
  
  
• Electric fencing in relation to equestrian access in Scotland  

           
If you have any queries about off road access email Helene.Mauchlen@bhs.org.uk 

Routes: Riding on Scotland’s Great Trails

Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, walkers, cyclists and horse-riders all enjoy equal rights to most land and inland water, provided access rights are exercised responsibly. Many horse riders are keen to follow the 26 long distance routes, branded as Scotland’s Great Trails (SGTs). SGTs showcase Scotland’s landscape and natural beauty at its best and in 2018 BHS Scotland audited these trails in order to open them up to more riders. 

Annandale Way

Affric Kintail Way

Borders Abbeys Way

Cateran Trail

Clyde Coast Path

Clyde Walkway

Cowal Way

Cross Borders Drove Road:
Developed, managed and promoted as fully multi-use accessible with selfclosing bridlegates or 2-in-1 gates throughout.

Dava Way

Deeside Way

Fife Coast Path

Formatine and Buchan Way

Forth, Clyde and Union Canal

Great Glen Way

Great Trossachs Path (western half)

John Muir Way

Kintyre Way

Moray Coastal Trail

Mull of Galloway Trail

River Ayr Way

Rob Roy Way

Romans and Reivers Route:
Developed, managed and promoted as fully multi-use accessible with selfclosing bridlegates or 2-in-1 gates throughout.

St. Cuthbert’s Way

Southern Upland Way

Speyside Way

Three Lochs Way

West Highland Way