Could someone please tell me why walkers DONT close gates ? every week one of my field gates is left open allowing livestock onto the road and as you can imagine this is becoming very frustrating ! not only that but i have had dry stone walls ruined, rubbish left and water stolen from my yard (we are on a private water spring and have had to buy water for at least the last 2 months at a cost of £200 every 2 weeks !!) please please please pass the message on, "if your out walking SHUT Gates properly !!!!!, use stiles provided and take your rubbish with you !

I appreciate this upsets you, but ranting on a small forum like this really isn't going to help you.

Why not have a word with your local rights of way officer? Whilst you will be aware that you have a legal duty to maintain gates and stiles etc on rights of way, most councils will either undertake it for you or heavily subsidise the work, especially if a recognised walk passes over your property. If they are willing you can ask for a self-closing gate to be installed. The mechanism is set slightly at an angle and, when opened, it drops back down into the shut position. It can be used on bridle gates, kissing gates and fieldgates with equal success.

There is no excuse for any walker destroying any of your property, stealing stuff or leaving litter (or any other type of undesirable behaviour at all). I can't condone this at all. But, if this results from having a promoted walk through your property then the council must suggest remedies. Contact them and let us know the result.

Also, try contacting the people who run the Dales Way Association:

http://www.dalesway.org.uk/

Put up signs telling people what is happening and asking people to shut gates properly. There is no excuse for not shutting gates, but sometimes a simple reminder in pretty blunt language is required.

I remember walking passed Holme Park Farm (assuming it’s the one just west of the M6). I was attacked by a loose dog. The owner was “at home” but made no attempt to control the mutt. I had to fight it off with my walking pole, but eventually escaped unscathed.

I got the distinct impression that the owners were anti-walker, with paths in the vicinity only grudgingly complying with the law. Perhaps the acknowledgement of others’ rights and the acceptance of responsibilities is a two way process.

Perhaps this is of interest: http://www.dalesway.org.uk/news.cfm?category_id=61&id=83

The original version of the story captured by google cache, apparently altered a few days later for some reason, note the additional information about a mastif type dog on Holme Park farm.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:3BttKhuBStMJ:www.dalesway.org.uk/news.cfm%3Fcategory_id%3D61%26id%3D83+%22holme+park+farm%22+dogs&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a

The problem for farmers and walker come to that, is that with the change in the 'Country Code', if anyone leaves a gate open, then walkers coming by afterwards will also leave that gate open in order to comply. The rule used to be to 'close' all gates but know it is 'leave' as you find, as farmers often open gates to allow wildstock to wander into other fields, or so that he can return on his tractor without getting off twice to see to the gate.
Dave.

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