Access rights in Scotland and geological fieldwork

Abstract

Perhaps you may have always assumed that there was no law of trespass in Scotland, as is sometimes said. The legal profession assert that this is not the case, but there remains a strong popular belief in the existence of some kind of common law right of access to land in Scotland, especially in exercising traditional freedoms of access to the hills. This article sets out the position in Scotland since the enactment of new legislation in 2005 for access to land, relevant to geological fieldwork.