Public rights of way

Public rights of way are historic routes that have been used by the public for many years, often originating as roads to churches, mills, markets and other important destinations before modern road networks existed. Today, these routes continue to provide valuable access opportunities for recreation, travel and enjoyment of the outdoors. Rights of way can exist on roads, tracks, paths or less defined routes across private land, linking places that the public regularly visit.

This page explains what public rights of way are, how they are established under Scottish law, and the criteria used to determine whether a route qualifies as a right of way. It also outlines the role of local authorities in protecting and managing these routes and provides links to further guidance on access rights and rights of way in Scotland.