Legal Right of Access to Private Land/Legal Responsibility on Private Land

The legal right of access to private land allows us to walk freely in forests and fields and pick berries and mushrooms without asking permission.

This legal right of access is an old custom that has been around for hundreds of years. It is not found in the statute book, though this says what we may not do. So we need to know what we can and cannot do. You do want to keep the legal right of access to private land, don’t you?

GARDENS you may not enter someone else’s garden without permission. The person living there has a legal right to be left in peace. A garden is the area nearest a residential house and outhouses. A garden does not need to be fenced in.

FIELDS with standing crops, areas with newly planted forest and other land that might be damaged may not be walked on.

GATES It is your responsibility to close them behind you.

FENCED IN AREAS You may pass through these if you do not take down any fencing — but you may not enter another person’s garden.

TENT You may camp on another person’s land for one night. If you wish to stay longer you must ask permission from the landowner.

TREES AND BUSHES By law you may not break branches and twigs.

FLOWERS You may pick flowers but you may not dig up the roots. Do not pick flowers unnecessarily — protected flowers may not be picked!

DO NOT LITTER THE COUNTRYSIDE!