For management reasons it is sometimes necessary to suspend open access for a limited period of time. This could be to protect ground nesting birds during nesting and brood rearing season, or when the land is at risk of wildfire or for reasons of public safety. Any Closure Notices in force will be posted here.
No closure dates currently scheduled.
We sometimes suspend Open Access via the voluntary 28 day closure system. Closure notices will be posted here for ease of reference. You can also check if a closure notice is in force by accessing Natural England's Open Access Center web site.
If you are a voluntary organisation, group, club, business or NGO looking to organize any activity or charitable event on Open Access Land at Coverhead you must first obtain permission in writing from us. We are approachable. Please contact us to discuss.
As landowners of Open Access Land we have certain responsibilities to members of the public utilizing Open Access Rights:
As users of Open Access Land at Coverhead the public have the following responsibilities to us:
Respect other land users and the people who live and work there;
Do not intentionally hinder or obstruct any lawful land use;
Respect any closure notices or exclusion orders.
They Must Not:
run commercial activities on the land such as:
The Country Side Rights of Way 2000 (CROW) Act established a public right of open access to unenclosed Mountain, Hill, Moor and Down for the purpose of 'peaceful recreation' under strict conditions. Most Open Access Land, even in the National Parks, is privately owned. Provision exists within the act for the landowner to suspend all open access rights for up to 28 days annually and to apply for 5 year dog exclusion orders for the purposes of protecting moorland birds. For management reasons it is sometimes necessary to suspend open access for a limited period of time. This could be to protect ground nesting birds during nesting and brood rearing season, or when the land is at risk of wildfire, or for reasons of public safety.
Open Access (Right to Roam) apply to private individuals only. Any activity organised through any group, or NGO requires the permission of the landowner.
In hot dry weather there can be a significant risk of wildfire caused by smoldering cigarettes, disposable barbecues or even discarded foil, plastic bags and bottles. The CROW act allows the National Park Authority to close Open Access Land when the fire severity index reaches reaches 'exceptional', a grade five on a scale of 1-5. In reality the risk can be extreme well below the critical level of 5. Wild fires can irreparably damage moorland, burning into the deep peat, releasing hundreds or even thousands of years of carbon storage and destroying wildlife and precious habitat in the process. Please help us avoid a catastrophic fire by not smoking on the moor, taking your rubbish home and never lighting a fire or using a barbecue. Wild Fires should not be confused with small, controlled, cool burns carried out by our staff as a habitat improvement and blanket bog restoration tool.
You can check up on the latest fire risk assessment on the Met Office Fire Risk Map
The Right to Roam allows members of the public to use Open Access Land at Coverhead for the following purposes:
Any other activity requires our permission. Please contact us to discuss. Please note that there is no right to park on Open Access Land and we reserve the right to charge for and manage car parking as appropriate.
A Dog Exclusion Order in in force at Coverhead
For the purposes of protecting moorland birds Coverhead has been granted a Dog Exclusion Order covering all the Open Access Land within the landholding. Dogs are not permitted on any Open Access Land at Coverhead without our permission, except for guide dogs and assistance dogs This order does not affect public rights of way such as footpaths and bridle ways were dogs are welcome providing they are kept under 'effective control'. They do not have to be on a lead but must be under effective control and within 2m of the path.
DOG EXCLUSION ORDER Dog Exclusion Order 2015 2020