Public rights of way
We have a legal duty to protect and keep public rights of way open and free from obstruction.
This applies across Highland, including areas within the Cairngorms National Park.
What makes a route a public right of way
A route is a public right of way if it meets all of the following conditions:
- it connects two public places
- it follows a clear and defined route
- it has been used by the public as a right (not just with permission)
- it has been used without significant interruption for at least 20 years
Where to find rights of way
We do not maintain a map of public rights of way but the Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society (ScotWays) maintains a national Catalogue of Rights of Way (CROW).
CROW includes:
- mapped routes
- route descriptions
- historical and legal information
CROW is not a definitive map of public rights of way, many rights of way may exist in Highland which are not recorded on CROW.