Walks and Rights of Way
Rights of way (public paths)
You can walk on all public rights of way. Some are also open to horse riders, cyclists or motorists.
Your rights
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gave people more freedom to walk on open countryside. This applies to open access land, which has been opened to the public for walking.
On a right of way you can:
- walk dogs on a lead or under close control
- take a pushchair or wheelchair, although this can be difficult if the surface is uneven or muddy
- take a short route around an illegal obstruction (e.g. fences or crops) or move it to get past.
 |  | Yellow arrow in a yellow circle. Footpaths are marked with a yellow arrow. Only walkers can use footpaths/ |
 |  | Bridleways are marked with blue arrows. Walkers, Horse-riders and cyclists can use bridleways. |
 |  | Restricted byways are marked with burgundy arrows. Walkers, horse-riders, cyclists and horse and cart users can use restricted byways. Cars and motorcycles are not allowed. |
 |  | Byways are marked with red arrows. Walkers, horse-riders, cyclists, car users, motorcyclists and horse and cart users can all use byways. |
Ordnance Survey FPM Service
Includes historic maps, National Trust, English Heritage, CADW and hundreds of country parks across the UK. Also available as a smartphone app.
Get Out Guides
Free and available from outside your front door, walking is the ultimate outdoor activity all year round. It’s easy to see why some people enjoy hiking: a walk in the British countryside enables them to get out, exercise, see the scenery and take in some much-needed lungfulls of fresh country air.
It’s also worth noting that all of this combines to release endorphins into the brain, which trigger feelings of pleasure – and even takes the latter half of its name (‘orphins’) from the notorious pain reliever, morphine.
Walking near Elston
Nottinghamshire is a historic county with a diverse landscape. From the open, undulating Wolds in the south to Sherwood Forest in the north, there are over 2,000 miles of footpaths, cycle paths and bridleways for you to enjoy on foot, bike or horse.
Discover delightful villages and beautiful countryside, mighty rivers and hidden lakes, fabulous flowers and enchanting wildlife. This booklet contains routes suitable for all ages and abilities, so there’s something to tempt everyone to get out and explore beautiful Nottinghamshire.