On 25th June 2020 Police Scotland received a report of people leaving farm gates open in the Balcary Bay, Auchencairn area as well as a gate having been taken off its hinges.
It is important to bear in mind the Scottish Outdoor Access Code when you are out and about:
Gates:
* Use a gate where one has been provided and leave it as you find it.
* Do not climb over gates, fences, dykes or hedges unless there is no reasonable alternative nearby.
* If you have to climb over a fence, avoid causing any damage by doing so near to a post. Climb a gate at the hinge end.
Fields with Farm Animals:
* Access rights extend to fields with farm animals, but remember that some animals, particularly cows with calves, but also horses, pigs and farmed deer, can react aggressively towards people. * Before entering a field, check to see what alternatives there are. If you are in a field of farm animals, keep a safe distance and watch them carefully.
Fields with Crops:
When exercising access rights in a field of crops, avoid damaging the crop by:
* Using any paths or tracks
* Using the margins of the field (if the margin is narrow or has been planted, avoid causing unnecessary damage by keeping close to the edge in single file)
* Going along any unsown ground (providing this does not damage the crop)
* Considering alternative routes on neighbouring ground.
A police sokesperson said “We would like to highlight that leaving gates open is not only a safety risk for livestock but can also cause damage to crops should livestock then enter a field they should not be in.
For further information please visit: www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot”
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