How to find out who owns the land

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
8
78
Cornwall
Nearest house in the country is likely to be a second home, holiday let, lived in by commuters or Lottery winner. No knowledge of the neighbouring woods.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,891
2,143
Mercia
Nonsense. None of the houses around my home are any of those. Nor were any of the houses around my previous three homes.

Don't let the truth get in the way of an argument though. Why would you not at least try asking at the nearest houses? Besides bone idle bolshiness of course.
 

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
8
78
Cornwall
This is yesteryear of course don't do the distance now, but walk twenty miles. Then walk another X miles asking at different houses, get real.
2008nov25-7s.jpg


Wansdyke, bivvied there, find the relevant house.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,891
2,143
Mercia
I can see more than one building on your picture. If you cannot, I suggest a visit with your optician is overdue.

You could of course plan your route in advance and ask permission if you are too idle to ask permission on the way.

There is only one question you need the answer to. "Do I have permission to camp here?".

If the answer is no, don't.
 

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
8
78
Cornwall
See a building, yes, barn possibly. But occupied, probably not. Certainly not when I was walking it. Must be awful never to have taken to the open road, hills and woods without a plan and a docket of permissions, a schedule you must keep. Feel sorry for anyone who hasn't.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,891
2,143
Mercia
I feel embarrassed for someone who has neither the common courtesy nor understanding of the law to ask permission before using another persons property.

The attitude of "I cannot be bothered so the law does not apply to me" is the definition of "antisocial behaviour"
 

didicoy

Full Member
Mar 7, 2013
541
12
fens
We don't have land taxes in the UK so no records for them for this purpose. Houses are taxed, Council Tax. According to Wiki 18% of land in England and Wales was unregistered in 2013. Our house and curtilage was unregistered until about 2006 in Wiltshire.

For several years, agricultural land owners of 5 acres or more (sometimes less, if they have ever been registered as a small holding) receives a land use census form. This information is used to gather stats on land use/crop types. Information is not available to the public on individual cases. I would say that the only right to accessing landownership details, comes from the Land Registry (there is a charge for some information) or from the owners or word of mouth. Having worked with Local Authorities. I have witnessed how difficult it can be, for LA staff to readily access ownership information and like has been suggested on this thread. Sometimes staff have resorted to asking known land owners, who and where to contact their land owning neighbours. Once this information is acquired, it's usually kept in house at the Local Authority for management purposes and not openly shared.
 

didicoy

Full Member
Mar 7, 2013
541
12
fens
This is yesteryear of course don't do the distance now, but walk twenty miles. Then walk another X miles asking at different houses, get real.
2008nov25-7s.jpg


Wansdyke, bivvied there, find the relevant house.
you could always leave a little note & your phone number on the barn door, explaining you had walked by and if possible, could you have permission to camp should you pass again. You carry a phone don't you? You only make things harder for yourself by being negative to obvious methods of achieving your goals longterm. Those who are successful, have tried many routes or got lucky. Those who fail to start or blow their chances & possibly other people's chance, by taking liberties & just "Doing" still go on complaining. Thing is, your not daft, you known there is a right way to go about it. It may not bring you the outcome you desire, it can be time consuming, even costly. But out of the millions of land owners in the UK, you really only need a dozen of them, to see you are prepared to make the effort, face to face or just a phone call. A pint in the pub or a bottle of brandy at Christmas. Just general curtesy. All you can wish for regarding longterm accesses to lands and you still openly promote bushcrafters conduct themselves like fools who can't use a map, a phone, ground research. I do struggle to understand the wisdom of it all.
Like I have said before, I'm a land owner. From some of the statements I have read over the few years I have been on this forum. To be honest. I have as much faith and confidence in good practice, coming from mature teenagers. I would have thought that any member on this forum, could be trusted with any permissions granted from me, to camp on my land. A good number of members may need extra support, tuition, guidance before I would have confidence in them. But I would never expect or tolerate rudeness or ignorance. A small price to pay for sharing in the enjoyment of the great outdoors don't you think?
 

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
8
78
Cornwall
Another journey about 15 years ago, walking from Streatley to Avebury overnight. 6pm Streatley and about 3pm the following day at Avebury along the Ridgeway. Some sleep on Wayland's Smithy Long Barrow. Pre-book with English Heritage? Or leave the customary sixpence for Wayland although I had no horse needing to be shod? Or just do what any weary traveller has done for millennia and rest for a bit at a convenient point. No tent, no fire, no trace. Quite pleasant then to meet a fellow walker who had done the same earlier and we walked on together chatting and enjoying the day.
 
May 20, 2015
5
0
Berks
Another journey about 15 years ago, walking from Streatley to Avebury overnight. 6pm Streatley and about 3pm the following day at Avebury along the Ridgeway. Some sleep on Wayland's Smithy Long Barrow. Pre-book with English Heritage? Or leave the customary sixpence for Wayland although I had no horse needing to be shod? Or just do what any weary traveller has done for millennia and rest for a bit at a convenient point. No tent, no fire, no trace. Quite pleasant then to meet a fellow walker who had done the same earlier and we walked on together chatting and enjoying the day.

I'm with you on this. I generally respect the law but the prime rule is to do no harm to others. And if nobody got hurt, nothing was damaged and nobody can even tell if you were there then what harm has been done?
 

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