Learn about the Countryside Code

You’ll need

A4 paper
Pens or pencils

The Countryside Code (England and Wales)

The Countryside Code (England and Wales)

Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Scottish Outdoor Access Code

The Countryside Code (Northern Ireland)

The Countryside Code (Northern Ireland)

Before you begin

Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.

Planning this activity

Write out or print two signs, one saying ‘true’ and the other saying ‘false’, then put them up at opposite sides of the meeting place.
Read through the Countryside Code, or equivalent, to familiarise yourself with it.
Consider downloading and making copies of the UK Government’s guide to the Countryside Code.

Learn the countryside code

Gather everyone together in a circle. Ask if anyone has heard of the Countryside Code and what it is.
Explain that the three parts of the Countryside Code, which are Respect, Protect and Enjoy. They mean:

Respect other people:

Consider the local community and other people enjoying the outdoors.
Leave gates and property as you find them and follow paths unless wider access is available.

Protect the natural environment:

Leave no trace of your visit and take your litter home.
Keep dogs under effective control.

Enjoy the outdoors:

Plan ahead and be prepared.
Follow advice and local signs.

Play the game

Make sure everyone understands the three areas of the Countryside Code.
Tell everyone you’re going to play a game to practice your understanding of the Countryside Code.
Explain that everyone needs to listen carefully to the statements being read out, then decide whether they’re true or false.
Once they’ve decided on their answer, they should stand by the corresponding ‘true’ or ‘false’ signs on either side of the meeting space. Remind everyone that this game isn’t a race, so everyone can take their time to decide and it should be their own decision.
When everyone’s ready, read out the first statement.
Let everyone move to either the ‘true’ or ‘false’ sign.
When everyone is by a sign, ask for some people who are happy to explain their reasons for choosing the option that they did.
The person leading the game can then reveal the correct answer and explain the statement from the Countryside Code.
Repeat these steps until all the statements have been used.

Reflection

This activity was all about learning about the Countryside Code. Had you heard of it before this activity? If you had heard of it, do you try to keep to it when you’re outside? If you hadn’t heard of it, was there anything you already do when you’re in the countryside? Did anything surprise you, or was there anything you didn't know or hadn't thought of?

Keeping the Countryside Code means you're also keeping the Scout Promise. You're thinking of others, helping other people and being a good citizen.

Ask everyone if they noticed the link between the Countryside Code and the Promise. Do they think they’ll be able to help keep the Countryside Code, and work toward keeping their Scout Promise?

Remember, this code might be designed for the Countryside, but we should follow the advice wherever we are, not necessarily in the Countryside, as it helps us to look after the world around us.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Statement	True or False	Why?
When riding a bike in the countryside you must slow down or stop for horses, people walking and animals.	True	When riding a bike or driving a vehicle, slow down or stop for horses, walkers and farm animals and give them plenty of room. By law, cyclists must give way to walkers and horse riders on bridleways.
Always shut a gate behind you, even if it was open when you reached it.	False	A farmer will normally close gates to keep farm animals in, but may sometimes leave them open so the animals can reach food and water. Leave gates as you find them or follow instructions on signs. When in a group, make sure the last person knows how to leave the gates.
Always take your rubbish and leftover food home with you.	True	Litter and leftover food doesn’t just spoil the beauty of the countryside, it can be dangerous to wildlife and farm animals – so take your litter home with you. Dropping litter and dumping rubbish are criminal offences.
When walking with a dog, it’s fine to let it play and chase other animals.	False	It’s always good practice (and a legal requirement on ‘open access’ land) to keep your dog on a lead around farm animals and horses, for your own safety and for the welfare of the animals.
There’s no need to tell anyone where you’ve planned to walk. Everywhere is safe.	False	Part of the appeal of the countryside is that you can get away from it all. You may not see anyone for hours, and there are many places without clear mobile phone signals, so let someone else know where you’re going and when you expect to return.
Make sure you read, understand and follow the signs.	True	England has about 118,000 miles of public rights of way, providing many opportunities to enjoy the natural environment. Get to know the signs and symbols used in the countryside to show paths and open countryside.