Introduction

This guidance is intended to help event organisers, land managers and public bodies to plan and manage events in Scotland that are based on active outdoor recreation, such as walking, running, cycling, horse riding and canoeing. These include sponsored walks, off-road or hill races, mountain-bike or canoe races, orienteering, triathlons, long distance riding and similar types of event taking place on land, rivers or lochs.

Access to Scotland’s outdoors takes place under Scottish access rights, which apply to most land and inland water. These rights must be exercised responsibly, and land managers have to manage their land responsibly with regard to access. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code (‘the Code’) explains what this means for recreational users and land managers, and has been approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Taking part in the above events is within Scottish access rights, so the guidance in the Code is relevant to participants.

The Code also provides supporting guidance for event organisers.

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