Can we take off from UK Public bridleways that run across National Trust land ?

[AeroJ]

Just doing the tedious pre-flight research for planned trip to Harting Down sometime soon, a vast epic bit of countryside near me, where usually no CAA restrictions apply, but one those famed 'guardians' of our beauty spots, in this case National Trust have been donated the whole **** area, and their own borders map seems to indicate there is no way to take off without being in it somehow ! And although I think their attitude to recreational drone use is downright f**king rude at these types of sites, I don't wish to annoy them so would like to try and obey their own rules while I legally overfly their land and support them by paying their unnecessarily massive car park charges !

Here is their ownership map of the area...



But what they don't mark on that is the South Downs Way, which is a public bridleway, that runs all the way right through the middle of it, and is pretty much where I would want to fly from anyway. Here is the National Bridleways map of the same thing !



So if I take off and land somewhere on that, can I fly these epic hills ? What would you do ? (sub250g).

For the purposes of technicalities I am prepared to not use a landing pad, hand catch and launch, and keep moving if I have to !

 

[MJ224]

As far as I aware, the only "right" you have on a footpath is to walk on it.

As for hand take off and landing, it probably needs a court of law to set a precedence...

 

[old man mavic]

@AeroJ ,its not the actual flying over the land that is the issue, but the TOAL part of the flight ,and as @MJ224 stated above a bridle way is still part of the land owned by the NT,and unfortunately( hand launch catch ),does not help in any way ,very early in the morning or late evening, could be a way of making the chances of being seen on their land less likely ,but that is a chance you would have to take ,and of course, i could not possibly condone or recomend such a thing,

 

[AeroJ]

This is not a footpath - it's a public bridleway, which is classed differently, thusly, though not sure how much difference it makes from our perspective - probably none.

• Bridleways: a highway over which the public has a right of way on foot, horseback and on a pedal cycle (including mountain-bikes). There may also be a right to drive animals along a bridleway.

and footpaths...

• Footpaths: a highway over which the public has a right of way on foot only

It goes on to say... How you use a right of way is important. You may only make a bona fide journey with reasonable rest along the way. Well that's fine, right ? The first and third parts of my journey are on foot, and the second is in airspace that isn't controlled while I am having a legitimate rest from all that tiring walking !

So, nothing about not stopping on either of them I notice ! And why can't I fly a drone while I am 'taking a reasonable rest' ?! No minimum speed is defined either, so I could be slowly walking around like I might do anyway when I am flying. Which is why I think flying from these might be legally defensible. But I am also not keen to test it in court, so asking what seems reasonable to people here and in general.

Going back to my original mission plan, the chances of me meeting people that will object are fairly low anyway in such a vast wide open space, but I will want to post the video if it comes out well, and not feel that I am constantly as risk for doing so. Obviously, the ideal situation for me is that I am able to politely but legally correctly rebuff any protestations that may be made either at the time or later when someone sees it online.

 

[Cafguy]

Don't they have laws against Being a Traffic Hazard there?
Here if you pull over on a roadway Or linger there on foot for any other reason besides Checking your car or if you have a flat OR some kind of mechanical problem the Police can ticket you. If you leave your car even with a note they can tow it at anytime. maybe if you found a parking lot or rest area.

 

[AeroJ]

Don't they have laws against Being a Traffic Hazard there?

Yes but on roads, and I am not trying to fly from those. Bridleways are a totally different thing; think of them more as extra wide country footpaths. You can't get cars up them, so there is nothing to block other than passing ramblers.

 

[Dronecation]

This is not a footpath - it's a public bridleway, which is classed differently, thusly, though not sure how much difference it makes from our perspective - probably none.

• Bridleways: a highway over which the public has a right of way on foot, horseback and on a pedal cycle (including mountain-bikes). There may also be a right to drive animals along a bridleway.

and footpaths...

• Footpaths: a highway over which the public has a right of way on foot only

Contact the CAA and verify if one can TOAL on the bridleway.

 

[AeroJ]

Contact the CAA and verify if one can TOAL on the bridleway.

I believe I have seen videos of them in conversation about this, and they don't consider it any of their concern where people take off and land from - they only care about airspace. It's only landowners who try and control TOAL because that is the only power left to them.

 

[Dronecation]

I believe I have seen videos of them in conversation about this, and they don't consider it any of their concern where people take off and land from - they only care about airspace. It's only landowners who try and control TOAL because that is the only power left to them.

Maybe find out who maintains and pays for the upkeep of the bridleway. If it is the public purse, then you may have use of it. If it is privately maintained, you may need permission.

 

[AeroJ]

If it is privately maintained, you may need permission.

I believe that ALL bridleways that cross private land are maintained by landowner for the sections of it inside their borders.
And if that is the case, I'm screwed.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Just doing the tedious pre-flight research for planned trip to Harting Down sometime soon, a vast epic bit of countryside near me, where usually no CAA restrictions apply, but one those famed 'guardians' of our beauty spots, in this case National Trust have been donated the whole **** area, and their own borders map seems to indicate there is no way to take off without being in it somehow ! And although I think their attitude to recreational drone use is downright f**king rude at these types of sites, I don't wish to annoy them so would like to try and obey their own rules while I legally overfly their land and support them by paying their unnecessarily massive car park charges !

Here is their ownership map of the area...

View attachment 175800

But what they don't mark on that is the South Downs Way, which is a public bridleway, that runs all the way right through the middle of it, and is pretty much where I would want to fly from anyway. Here is the National Bridleways map of the same thing !

View attachment 175801

So if I take off and land somewhere on that, can I fly these epic hills ? What would you do ? (sub250g).

For the purposes of technicalities I am prepared to not use a landing pad, hand catch and launch, and keep moving if I have to !

The National Trust are a pain in the nuts and their main goal now is to monetize every square inch of what they've been given for nothing. That includes charging you up to £300 for "filming permission".

You might check with the relevant Local Authority (council) regarding the ownership of the bridlepath, and whether they have a bye-law in place regarding a 'drone policy', that would give you a clearer picture, but I'll lay odds-on that even though it appears as a PROW on the Definitive Map: the path will be 'permissive access'. Which means the N.T will be the 'permissive' part of the 'access'.

But with the size of the area, the chances of crossing paths with one of their employees will be pretty slim.

Oh... one final word of warning - members of the general public who hike around wearing gear with a little gold acorn and oak leaf membership patch sewn on are the most bombastic.

 

[Pacefast]

NT are a pain in the backside! I wrote asking permission to do a promotional video of one country house before they opened to the public and which I was happy to donate and got a very rude and uncourteous response

 

[twickers14]

Have to say I "saw a drone just like mine" take-off point not in NT grounds and it popped up and over their boundaries. No body seemed to mind and as it was pretty high up nobody heard it either!