Laws/Rules for Walking & Foraging

Xander_82

Sorrry if this comes across as totally clueless.

I'm wondering what are the rules or laws around walking in the countryside? I'm very interested in foraging and at present just pick things from my relatives land. I'd like to explore further afield but am not sure where would be allowed. Even if I didn't forage at all (nothing major anyway, just nettles, blackberries, beech leaves, etc) I'd like to know where one can and can't walk?

Thanks!

BarryD

You'll get as many answers to that as you'll ask people. Theoretically in Ireland: you can only go on your own land, on others land with their permission, the public highways, agreed walks and access routes and many (but not all) state owned lands. I think also coastal land between high and low water marks but wouldn't be entirely sure on that one.

In practice you can walk just about anywhere in rural Ireland, but not in peoples back gardens etc., obviously. I'm mostly referring to farm and other lands owned and managed by your average Irish farmer. You do need to be courteous, I generally proceed on the basis that all is OK, if I meet anyone I'll stop and have a chat, ask if I may go this way, but I don't expect to be refused. This applies to yourself and maybe one or two others - you don't want to appear threatening in any way to anyone you meet, large groups need to be careful and more formal in getting permission to go on private lands. There is a long held tradition in Ireland of 'walking the land' and most rural folk still appreciate this. If you are trying to access open hillside, don't avoid farmhouses, you want to be using gates and most farmland is laid out with the gates leading to & from the farmyard, so go that way to avoid crossing fences. Have a quick shout at the yard, if no-one's about, then carry on. If they are, stop and have a wee chat. The exceptions to above, in my experience are 1) larger country estates and golf courses - both usually unfriendly places and 2) 'blow ins', particularly of the wealthy variety, who buy a little slice of rural heaven, bring their city or foreign mentality, and think they can exclude all others.

As regards foraging, it's almost a forgotten thing as far as I can see in most Irish people, even rural folk. My neighbours still comment if they see us picking blackberries etc. and will recall they often picked them as kids etc. That said, most rural people will be very interested if you explain what you want to collect and why. I was laughing recently when I heard a well meaning chap on the radio, phoning in because he saw a few people collecting firewood in the Phoenix Park - he thought it was like famine times etc. Just goes to show how far we have slipped, when people think there's something weird about gathering a few sticks to light the fire. How quickly people forget what was the norm not that long ago. Sad..

Xander_82

That's great, thank you.

Is there anywhere where you can get a list of public parks or forests, or places which are meant for public use?

BarryD

I'm sure your local authority website will list public parks - may not be the best place to pick things to eat though?? More likely to have been sprayed etc. by council staff. The Coillte outdoors website lists a variety of Coillte properties around the country - Coillte have an 'open forest policy'. If you're in the south Dublin/ Wicklow area or Carlow/ Wexford, my maps at www.eastwestmapping.ie show all Coillte properties coloured with a different shade of green to differentiate them from private forest. Ditto for boundaries for the Wicklow Mountains National Park lands and nature reserves etc.

Outside these regions, can't think of any one source of such info. There's a book 'Stopping by Woods' by Donal Magner which might help re other Coillte woods etc.