Outdoor Access

Introduction

Visitors and residents in Aberdeen have many opportunities for accessing the outdoors in and around the City. From award winning parks to riverside walks, a coastal path, forest trails and informal routes throughout the farmland and settlements around the City, there's plenty to see and do outside.

We are working on improving opportunities for access, through an Outdoor Access Strategy, in line with the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. This Act introduces new rights and responsibilities for the public and for land managers in terms of outdoor access. This means that as long as behaviour is responsible, i.e. respecting the interests of other people, caring for the environment and taking responsibility for your own actions, you can enjoy access to almost all land and inland water. Guidance on where these rights apply and exactly what is meant by 'responsible behaviour', for both access takers and land managers, is provided in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

The Outdoor Access Strategy's vision for the future is:

A well used network of safe, clear and enjoyable routes linking people and places that every person in Aberdeen wants to, and is proud to use to get from one place to another for work or leisure. It recognise that there are many potential benefits for promoting and encouraging access to the outdoors. These include:

• Health: physical inactivity being one of the biggest causes of illness and death in Scotland;
• Transport: contributing towards the foundation of an integrated and sustainable transport system;
• Tourism: walking is the most popular outdoor activity of visitors to Scotland;
• Environment and Community: the use of paths and the involvement in planning and constructing them, helps raise environmental awareness and improves social interaction and community engagement;
• Recreation: most forms of outdoor recreation are free and anyone can take part;

Contacts

• Outdoor Access
  Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure
  Aberdeen City Council
  Business Hub 4
  Marischal College
  Broad Street
  Aberdeen
  AB10 1AB
  Phone: 01224 522014
  Fax: 01224 523180
  Email: paths@aberdeencity.gov.uk