Dogs on Hiking trails (public lands)

brownej

With the recent issues around dogs on hiking trails through private lands, I wanted to raise a question on this.

I was at the Ballyhouras in Limerick at the weekend. The map of the area and trails are below. There is a mountain bike center here too and it is a great facility. I had my dog with me and I had researched in advance to see if dogs were allowed. While I didnt find anything to say they were allowed, I also didnt find anything to say that dogs weren't. At the main car park circled there are signs that say keep dogs under control so all good there. I did much of the purple route. There is a section on the road between P and the forest entrance. At the point marked P there is a small (unserviced) car park just off the road. There is a style/gate there with a sign on it saying no dogs farm stock on route. You only see this if you start at this off road car park. If you start at the main carpark (which costs a fiver) there are only signs that say keep dogs under control and at no point do you pass a sign on the route that says no dogs.

I keep my dog tethered to me on a lead all the time when out hiking with him. He is never off the lead.

Now the funny thing is that this is all coillte land. The whole thing with the no dogs sign struck me as unusual. The land up there is not good, its all forestry and bog. You couldnt sustain animals on it. There is some farmland down by the road but not near the trail.

SuperBowserWorld

Maybe there are wild animals and birds trying to survive there ?

brownej

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444647#Comment_120444647

Well thats true everywhere. The sign in question says "farm stock".

My issue here is that on one end of the trail it says keep dogs under control, on the other end it says "no dogs farm stock on route". Even though it is public coillte lands.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444769#Comment_120444769

Then rurn around with your dog when you reach the no dogs sign. Sheep can graze bad land and even a dog walking close can cause panic which leads to miss carriages or deaths.

brownej

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120445134#Comment_120445134

The sign is only posted facing one direction. Its easy to miss.

As the sign is only in one location facing one direction it can be approached from either side meaning that a dog can be anywhere on the trail on either side until the sign is reached. 2 people with dogs can come from wither direction, meet at the sign and then turn around. Makes no sense at all.

The land in question here is either conniferous forest (no grass on the forest floor) or bog. If there are sheep trying to graze there, its not a dog panicking them thats going to cause a misscarriage.

I understand the "worrying" sheep issue. Doesnt stop farmers grazing sheep right up to a public road with all sorts on the road though.

brownej

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444889#Comment_120444889

Ah right, I undertand.

This actually makes it even less likely that farm animals would be on the land. Public upland areas can be actively farmed but private public land probably isnt going to be. Coillte are very good at allowing access for recreation.

whisky_galore

"Doesnt stop farmers grazing sheep right up to a public road with all sorts on the road though."

What's that got to do with anything?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120446908#Comment_120446908

I'd like to see a picture of the sign in it's full setting TBH.

As for the "grazing sheep right up to a public road", are you serious or has the mask slipped?

brownej

Picture of the sign. As you can see it is facing one direction only.

The access is open btw. There is no gate for walkers to open. Behind me is a car parking area out on to the public road. If you approach from the other side you dont see it. Although if you do approach from the other side you are then out onto the road. My point is that signage is completely inconsistent. For reference the signage if you start from the main car park is shown below. The trail is through open hillside and forestry owned by coillte.

As for the comment about sheep grazing up to (and on to) the public road, there is no mask to slip. I'm sorry if farmers are offended. Sheep and lambs afterall are income for the farmer and I'm sure they do everything to protect that.

artanevilla

Mayhaps the sign was put up by a farmer and not Coillte.